Omar S. Email and Phone Number

Coordinate workforce-related programming at Harper College with the North Suburban Cook County American Job Center, the Chicago-Cook Workforce Partnership, and other community organizations. Collaborate with Harper College offices, including Admissions, Business, Registrar, Advising, and Financial Aid to ensure workforce students receive the best delivery of services. Promote Harper College's Career Technical Education (CTE) programs to dislocated workers. Write and monitor WIOA training contracts. Oversee grant-funded initiatives and compile reports.Projects:Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA): Promote Harper College's WIOA-approved short-term career-focused certificate programs. Programs include entry-level occupational training for IT, healthcare, HVAC, manufacturing, and supply chain management and professional-level certification training for project management, data analysis, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and software development.Paths to College and Career: Worked with multiple departments to secure a $200k Innovative Bridge and Transition Program Grant from the Illinois Community College Board to assess curriculum needs and create flexible career pathways that meet the immediate needs of students by offering individualized support and contextualized courses specific to industry-needed skills and competencies. We are now offering free assessments and individualized tutoring to help members of the community bridge essential computer, math, reading, and writing skill gaps. We are developing contextualized courses for entry-level employment in the Transportation, Distribution and Logisitics (TDL), healthcare, social services, and general office occupations.

Trained, developed, and provided technical assistance to the Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) program team, consisting of two Career Counselors, two Intake Specialists, and one Rapid Response Liaison. Gathered financial and statistical data for reporting and grant writing purposes. Completed grant applications and modifications to obtain $200k-1.3-million in annual funding. Kept abreast of changes to Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and TAA rules and policies. Developed local best practices to effectively integrate services across the different programs and ensure compliance with county, state, and federal rules.Key Accomplishments:• Developed Microsoft Access and Excel applications to complete redundant forms efficiently, track expenditures, and monitor the completion of time-sensitive tasks• Participated in beta feature tests for the Illinois Workforce Development System (IWDS) and provided valuable feedback for improvements. • Selected for statewide think groups to develop effective procedures for case management and compliance with TAA rules.

Responsible for leading Trade Adjustment Act program team. Gather financial and statistical data for reporting and grant writing purposes. Complete grant applications and modifications to obtain funding. Train staff on Workforce Investment Act and TAA rules and policies and use of the web-based Illinois Workforce Development System. Develop local best practices to ensure compliance with county, state and federal rules. Advise participants who lost employment due to international trade and globalization about program options. Coordinate benefits for participants in other states by establishing agent/liable state relationships. Determine TAA and WIA benefit eligibility according to federal and state regulations. Key Accomplishments:• Effectively transitioned the Trade Act team through various statutory program revolutions.• Developed internal procedures to integrate TAA and WIOA services when co-enrollment in WIOA became a requirement in 2011.

Provided career counseling. Coordinated clients’ enrollment in re-employment services and vocational training. Verified eligibility and outcome performance.Key Accomplishments:• Successfully case-managed 80 to 130 clients.• Promoted to Assessment Counselor position and granted additional responsibilities with TAA

• Researched and identify resources to fulfill clients’ needs and help them overcome barriers to self-sufficiency • Determined eligibility for social services• Provided case-management according to the needs of each client