Repost: Women aged 40 'happiest at work'

New study from the UK shows happiest workers are 40-year old women, and construction is listed as the first of the industries "with the highest proportion of fulfilled workers."

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WORKERS who are most happy in their professional life are likely to be well-educated women aged 40, working in a secure industry offering a good work/life balance, according to a new British study.

A survey of 2000 employees by recruiter Randstad found that ambitious women were getting the most from work.

The firm drew up the profile of a "very fulfilled" worker, saying it was likely to be a 40-year-old, well educated woman, earning STG31,600 ($A58,340) a year, having a positive personality, with a sense of vocation in their career.

Industries with the highest proportion of fulfilled workers included construction, farming, teaching, social work, hospitality and health, while below average scores were found in manufacturing, the public sector and financial services.

"As the debate about equal opportunities at work continues, it's inspiring to see that women are on top in terms of fulfilment," said Mark Bull, chief executive of Randstad.

"Clearly, not everyone in the UK can be a well-educated, 40-year-old woman, but you don't have to fit the typical profile of a very fulfilled worker in order to reach your full potential and feel more fulfilled in your career.

"Sadly, you may not find many 40-year-old women working within the construction sector. However, construction staff do tend to work in a vocational environment and often derive a real sense of satisfaction from seeing a project develop from the ground up which is why they have such a high proportion of very fulfilled staff within the workforce.

"Similarly, staff within education, social work and healthcare will also have a strong sense of vocation and derive satisfaction from helping others and all of these characteristics fit the typical profile of a very fulfilled worker."

To view the original article, visit http://www.heraldsun.com.au.

Career Opportunity: Building Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Click the above image to download this flyer.

Job Opportunity: Pre-Apprenticeship Training Project Director, UMass Amherst

POSITION OPENING: Pre-Apprenticeship Training Project Director 

Overview:
The Labor/Management Workplace Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking a creative and experienced professional to launch and manage an innovative pre-apprenticeship training program, CommunityWorks, targeted to marginalized and underserved communities in Springfield and Holyoke. CommunityWorks is a broad coalition of employer, labor, education, workforce, and community-based organizations. The Project Director position is grant-funded, at least 50% time with benefits. Continuation beyond August 2015 is contingent upon funding.

Duties:
The Pre-Apprenticeship Project Director will oversee and coordinate the program as a whole, working collaboratively with multiple partners, sub-contractors, program staff, project sites, employers, unions, joint apprenticeship programs, community-based cultural associations, and the funding agency to insure smooth, effective functioning of the program.

The Project Director will be engaged in and provide oversight of the following activities: partnership development, participant outreach, participant recruitment, provision of training services, career coaching, budget tracking, data management, and project evaluation. To these ends, the Project Director will oversee a project staff, the size of which may fluctuate with multiple funding awards. The Project Director will report and work closely with the project Principal Investigator and will be the key liaison to the project funder, making sure that all narrative reports are completed in a timely manner. The Project Director will also meet regularly with, provide reports to, and solicit feedback from the project’s steering committee.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (in education, management, labor studies, or related field) and more than three years professional experience in education, management, labor studies, or adult education is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of worker education, curriculum development, program planning, evaluation methods and participatory learning theory required. Excellent writing, partnership, and communication skills required.
• Work experience in the construction trades preferred.
• Teaching experience with the construction trades preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of budget monitoring, evaluation systems, and grants administration preferred

To Apply:

Send résumé and cover letter indicating desired position by June 20, 2013 to R43305, Employment Office, 167 Whitmore Administration Building, UMass, Amherst, MA 01003.

Normal FTE salary range is $40,100-$50,300, normal FTE starting salary range is $40,100-$45,200. Excellent benefits. The University of Massachusetts is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.

Repost: Vermont Works for Women Report, "Enough Said"

"Women now provide almost 50% of the nation’s labor – and 36% of an average family’s income. Addressing women’s poverty isn't just a women’s issue – it’s an economic one (Vermont Works for Women)." This need – in our community and among individual women and their families – fuels the Policy Group on Tradeswomen Issues' mission to increase access for women to good-paying careers in the construction trades. The report below explores concerns young women have about their access to education, work, and careers that enable economic self-sufficiency.

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Young Women Talk About School, Work, and Becoming Adults:
Why We Should Listen and What We Can Do

Many young women in Vermont describe themselves as ill-equipped and under-prepared for the challenges of school, work, career, economic independence, and adulthood—absolutes that await them in the not-too-distant future. Reflecting upon their educational experiences and job histories in nine listening sessions and in written surveys, two hundred young women, ages 15-25 from Brattleboro to St. Johnsbury, the majority from families of limited financial means, articulated a host of concerns:

• minimal exposure to a broad range of careers and professional female role models
• few personal allies to provide support
• lack of practical skills related to personal finance
• fears around how to live independently
• relational aggression among their peers
• limited expectations for work that taps into talent and passion

While Vermont should be proud of its high school graduation rate – at 91.4% the highest in the country – a number of signs indicate that we have more to do to ensure that the next generation is ready for college and/or work.

Download the summary or the full report, which examines how well we’re preparing young women, who are twice as likely to live in poverty as their male counterparts, to make informed, deliberate choices about education and work and to shoulder the financial responsibilities of adulthood.

For more information, visit vtworksforwomen.org.