The Saint Vincent DePaul Career Track is a comprehensive "career directed" program designed to help people acquire skills and be used as an economic development strategy to increase employment, and serve as a longer term career placement program for those unable to compete in the regular job market.and to be effective and productive employees for participating employers.

   When designing CT for the homeless, we considered and designed the program for effectiveness by ensuring that it addresses both participant and employer needs. The participants' career success is achieved by building their identity as workers and requiring them to perform according to generally accepted workplace standards. To meet employer interests, the work performed must meet company standards for quality and customer satisfaction and contribute to the company's bottom line.

   In addition, and most importantly, we designed the program to improve the quality of transitional employment by including work-based education and training, emphasizing career guidance and job placement efforts, linking work-related classroom instruction to educational credentials, and strengthening workplace supervision.

   Whereas traditional Career Tracks place clients in short-term subsidized jobs, Saint Vincent DePaul Village assists the clients to help themselves by assisting them in the total career development process. This process begins with establishing basic, work readiness and vocational skills for the participant, while obtaining work experience in an entry-level job. The next step is developing an Individual Employment Plan for the participant and providing vocational and technical training in conjunction with employer work experience for the establishment of an on-going career and self sufficiency.

   The SVDPV CT is a two component, three phase program to train and place clients candidates in "career directed" positions that will lead to self-sustaining employment, reflecting the new economic conditions in the job market. SVDPV CT encompasses a two-year timeline, coinciding with the clients candidates stay at SVDPV, commencing when the client candidate enters into short-term housing at the village. SVDPV CT also extends beyond the two-year timeline by providing continuing advisement to the client candidate in career related decisions through our Case Management Team (MAS).

   The two components of the CT are the paralleling of vocational training and academic education along with work experience in the career directed position. Saint Vincent DePaul provides the client candidate with comprehensive academic, life skill, and vocational resources through formalized classes designed specifically to the clients candidate’s needs. Resources available to the client candidate through Saint Vincent DePaul include:

• Adult Education Classes for Basic Skill Training
• Work Readiness Classes
• Vocational Assessments
• Vocational Classes for Career Directed Training
• Technical Classes in Computer Office Systems
• Certificate Classes in Vocational and Technical Disciplines

The Career Track Program goal is to place clients candidates in a career position that provides a living wage. It is full-time employment. The Career position is the achievement of a well-planned and highly interactive Career Track Plan that combines the efforts of participants, agencies, educational institutions, employers, and a variety of support individuals.

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