Department of Civil Service

Health and Human Services

Salary Range

NYC Metro - From $66,195 to $83,335
Rest of State - From $63,108 to $80,248

(Salary may differ from what is listed for an agency and/or location. See HELP job postings for specific salary.)

Career Ladder Information

Below is a listing of titles that are most commonly used as steps for upward mobility for this title series.

As a Vocational Specialist 1, you would coordinate vocational programs for youth placed in the custody of the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). You would help individuals advance their academic and vocational skills and enhance their ability to secure and maintain employment. Under general supervision, you would perform the full range of academic and vocational evaluation and assessment activities to evaluate the youth¿s vocational levels by meeting with the individual youth to determine specific needs, designing and implementing an appropriate employability plan, and overseeing the development of youth portfolios (vocational folders). In addition, you would work with local employers and other staff to develop job training and placement opportunities in the community, oversee work-based learning programs, maintain records of contacts with placement resources, and follow-up periodically on placements. A Vocational Specialist 1 provides direction in the integration of academic and workforce development skills and supervises Vocational Instructors and, in some cases, other facility staff in implementing the various components of the career, education, and employment training program. Vocational Specialists also assist in an administrative capacity to aid the education administrator with monitoring education programming and are responsible for data entry in various types of data systems.

• Office of Children & Family Services

You must have:

Either 1. a bachelor's or higher degree AND two years of experience working with students between the ages of 10 and 21 in one or more of the following areas: teaching employment-related subjects, job readiness and/or career awareness skills; vocational assessment; employment counseling; career exploration, conducting job searches; supervising youth employment training programs; or coordinating structured school-to-work activities;

Or 2. a bachelor's or higher degree AND one year of experience working with students between the ages of 10 and 21 in one or more of the following areas: teaching employment-related subjects, job readiness and/or career awareness skills; vocational assessment; employment counseling; career exploration, conducting job searches; supervising youth employment training programs; or coordinating structured school-to-work activities; AND one year of experience as a supervisor of teaching staff in a vocational shop program.

Qualifying experience includes: Career and Technical Teacher (Adolescent Education Grades 7-12) in subjects such as vehicle mechanical repair, cosmetology/barbering, culinary careers, electrical, and other vocational and trade-specific areas; Adolescent Guidance Counselor; Vocational Counselor.

Non-qualifying experience includes: Classroom Teacher (Adolescent Education Grades 7-12) in subjects such as biology, English, mathematics, social studies, and other non-vocational and non-trade specific areas; Adult Reemployment Counselor; Job Recruiter.