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Recruit Qualified Staff through SCSEP

By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-08-04 12:27:00-04:00

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The AARP Foundation has nearly 35 years of experience in helping employers find the workers they need through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).

Of the 13 national sponsors of SCSEP, AARP Foundation is by far the most successful in assisting participants to obtain employment, placing over 37,000 participants in jobs over the last ten years. For each of the last four years, AARP Foundation has placed more than 50 percent of participants into jobs, far exceeding the Department of Labor's 20 percent requirement. We are the premier resource to employers for dedicated, trained, mature workers.

While SCSEP participants must meet age and income guidelines, the program serves as a resource to all job seekers and employers in the community by being aware of critical unmet workforce needs and referring job seekers to area employers.

An Employer-Based Philosophy

Each SCSEP project director takes time to understand the local job market and the job skills which are in demand in their local communities. Through 100 project sites in 28 states, SCSEP is able to link job seekers with the local business community. The approach of each SCSEP Project Director is to gain an understanding of an employer's job opportunities, training requirements, application procedures, hiring trends and work environment. By understanding the needs of the employer, SCSEP sites can determine the most suitable job seekers to meet those needs.

How SCSEP Works with You

• On the regional or national level, AARP Foundation helps employers with their staffing needs by coordinating with SCSEP projects in the employer's areas of greatest need. SCSEP and the employer work together to identify target geographical areas for hiring, and to develop a communication plan which includes all personnel who are involved in the partnership.
  
  To explore how SCSEP can assist with your staffing needs on a regional or national level, call the SCSEP national office at 202-434-2020.
• On the local level, each SCSEP project forms referral partnerships with employers in the local community. AARP Foundation currently manages SCSEP sites in over 100 communities in 28 states and Puerto Rico, located in both urban and rural communities. The SCSEP Project Director gains an understanding of employer's job opportunities, training requirements, application procedures, hiring trends and work environment, and then refers the most suitable job seekers to meet those needs. All an employer needs to do is contact your local SCSEP site.

Why It Works

Successful job referrals start with a thorough assessment and training process in which we assess each enrollee's skills, interests and attitudes before we refer them to a potential employer. Using our computer-based assessment tool, we screen each of our enrollees to determine previous work experience, current job interests and aptitudes and attitudes towards employment. From this assessment, an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) is developed that guides the Project Director and enrollee as they work together to identify training needs and potential employment opportunities.

Based on the assessment and IEP, enrollees are either assigned to temporary on-the-job training opportunities at community agencies (Host Agencies) until skills are developed, or they are referred directly to one of our employer partners with an active job order. Additionally, to fill an employer's critical unmet need, we will refer individuals who do not meet our eligibility requirements (too young or over income) if no eligible enrollee is available at the time.

Trial Employment Program

Under a special program called On the job Experience (OJE), SCSEP allows qualified enrollees to receive on-the-job experience at a private employer's place of business. Under this program, for a defined training period-usually no more than four weeks-a SCSEP participant may be placed with a employer who has an available job. The employer agrees to hire the enrollee upon successful completion of the training period. During this period of "trial employment," the enrollee is paid at the employer's prevailing rate, while the employer provides the skills training necessary for the enrollee to succeed in the job.

On the Job Experience benefits both employer and client. For the enrollee, the OJE provides a transition from SCSEP to an unsubsidized job in the community. For the employer, it is a chance to assess if the enrollee and the job are a good match. If you are interested in the OJE Program contact the Project Director at a SCSEP program in your area.

SCSEP Management and Experience

A professional Project Director leads each one of our project offices and has, on average, over 11 years' tenure in the position. Project Directors are supported by regional Area Managers and by national office staff. SCSEP Project Directors reside in their communities, work with local agencies and training centers, and are a known and trusted resource for workforce issues.

• We analyze skills in demand and work with local agencies and training centers to train our enrollees in these fields.
• Our program staff are part of the fabric of their business communities, often members of the Chamber of Commerce, on One-Stop boards and committees, and are a known and trusted resource for workforce issues.

AARP Resources:

What is SCSEP?
Find out about AARP Foundation's work-training program for job seekers over 55.
http://www.aarp.org/scsep-what/