The Kansas City Workforce Development Board will continue to use “Career Systems of Support” or “Career SOS” to provide job training, employment, and support services managed through the Full Employment Council. Career SOS utilizes the support services offered through the various programs funded and managed through the Full Employment Council, as well as the supports services offered through the various COMBAT-funded programs.

FEC established the “SOS Partnership Portal” to allow partners to refer job-ready clients. The SOS portal enables referring COMBAT agencies to refer clients to FEC that have been determined “ready for job training, support and employment services." This unique portal allows COMBAT agencies to refer clients who meet the criteria established for career readiness, training and employment support services without interruptions that could be caused through recurrence of trauma episodes that result from them being a victim of crime. 

The “Career SOS” is a system of support for COMBAT-funded victim services agencies already offering “rapid response intervention to address trauma episodes that may have been triggered through external or internal events." This intervention may occur concurrently with the training and employment services provided, or these services could be interrupted until the client's socioeconomic framework has been stabilized through the COMBAT-funded victim support organization.

The “SOS” Portal also allows partners to access a real-time status report available solely to the referring agency, which refers the agency to the FEC. 

The Full Employment Council uses a four-part employment and training process to facilitate advanced career exploration and job training assessment in the top five high-demand occupational sectors based on MERIC labor market information:

1) job training if necessary for adequate career placement,

2) job training completion leading to completion of course work-certification,

3) job placement into the field for which he or she was trained, and

4) job retention is leading to at least retention on the job for at least four quarters.

For those lacking a high school diploma, FEC can refer that individual to A HISET program and concurrently provide job placement support to earn a High School Equivalency certification.

Direct job placement will also be provided if the skills-work experience qualify the client for careers that pay family-sustaining wages.

If the assessment process determines the client is ready for immediate career placement due to immediate past work experience or credentials, the client will be referred for immediate career placement to the Workforce Development Executive (WDE) who is the job placement professional with the Full Employment Council. This position will be the “Employment Placement Advocate” for the participant in the Extensive Employer network maintained by the Full Employment Council.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.