Academic Support & Career Exploration Teacher in Clifton, New Jersey at Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, Inc.

Job Title: Academic Support & Career Exploration Teacher

Supervisor: 21st CCLC Site Coordinator/Program Director

Site Location: Boys & Girls Club of Clifton – 181 Colfax Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013 & Christopher Columbus Middle School – 350 Piaget Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011

Position Type: Part-Time, Non-Exempt

About the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton:

Clifton, New Jersey is the third most diverse city in America by languages spoken and has a proud history of being a first stop city for generations of immigrants. Since 1947 the Boys & Girls Club (BGCC) has supported the Clifton community in providing quality youth development programs for youth aged 3-18. The BGCC serves over 6,000 youth annually, and continues to grow, remaining dedicated to the community’s ever-changing needs. We are committed to ensuring every child has access to our exceptional programs and services, aiming to enrich their lives and shape their futures. We are seeking individuals who will listen to the children, respect, and honor their diversity, while helping us maintain a safe environment where they can have fun and be themselves. We are looking for passionate people who are excited to support our mission: to empower and inspire all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as responsible, caring, and productive citizens. If you're ready to make a difference and help inspire our children, join us today!

Position Overview

Boys & Girls Club of Clifton is seeking an enthusiastic, supportive, and student-centered Academic Support & Career Exploration Teacher to work with middle and high school students participating in our New Jersey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program.

This position combines academic support, college and career readiness, career exploration, and student mentoring. The successful candidate will help students strengthen academic skills while connecting what they are learning in school to future educational, career, and workforce opportunities.

The teacher will create engaging after-school experiences that help students understand their strengths and interests, explore different career pathways, develop essential employability skills, and begin planning for life after high school.

Key Responsibilities:

Academic Support

• Provide individualized and small-group academic support to middle and high school students.
• Assist students with homework, assignments, projects, research, and long-term academic tasks.
• Provide support in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and other subject areas as appropriate.
• Reinforce and extend concepts taught during the regular school day.
• Provide instruction and activities aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) and students' academic needs.
• Help students develop effective study habits, organization, time-management, note-taking, research, and test-preparation skills.
• Support students in setting academic goals and developing strategies to achieve them.
• Use differentiated instructional approaches to accommodate different academic levels, learning styles, and interests.

Career Exploration & College/Career Readiness

• Introduce students to a broad range of careers, industries, professions, and career pathways.
• Help students identify personal interests, strengths, skills, and potential career goals.
• Facilitate career exploration activities, interest inventories, career research, and career pathway projects.
• Help students understand the connection between education, skills, careers, and earning potential.
• Introduce students to college, technical education, apprenticeships, credential programs, military careers, entrepreneurship, and other postsecondary pathways.
• Help high school students explore postsecondary options and develop realistic education and career plans.
• Facilitate activities related to resume writing, interviewing, professional communication, workplace expectations, and employability skills.
• Provide opportunities for students to learn about local employers, industries, and workforce opportunities.
• Support career-focused projects, guest speaker events, career panels, workplace visits, job-shadowing experiences, and other career-connected learning activities when available.
• Help students develop professional skills including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability, and workplace professionalism.
• Encourage students to connect their academic interests to potential careers and future opportunities.

Student Engagement & Mentoring

• Build positive, supportive relationships with middle and high school students.
• Serve as a positive role model and mentor.
• Create a classroom environment that encourages student voice, curiosity, collaboration, and personal growth.
• Help students recognize their strengths and develop confidence in their ability to succeed.
• Encourage students to set short- and long-term academic, career, and personal goals.
• Provide encouragement and guidance to students who may need additional motivation or support.
• Incorporate hands-on, project-based, and real-world learning opportunities.

Program Responsibilities

• Monitor student participation and progress in academic and career-readiness activities.
• Maintain required attendance, participation, and program documentation.
• Communicate relevant student observations and progress with the Site Coordinator/Program Director.
• Collaborate with program staff and, when appropriate, school-day educators and community partners.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, training, family engagement activities, and special program events.
• Follow all organizational, school-site, safety, confidentiality, and 21st CCLC policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties that support the successful operation of the 21st CCLC program.

Physical Demands:

Standing, walking, run/jog, leaning, bending, sitting. Must be able to lift 30lbs.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or other qualifications permitted by applicable program and organizational requirements.
• Experience working with middle school and/or high school students.
• Experience providing academic support, tutoring, teaching, mentoring, youth development, or career-related programming.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to establish positive and appropriate relationships with adolescents and young adults.
• Ability to engage students with different academic abilities, interests, backgrounds, and career goals.
• Strong organizational and classroom-management skills.
• Dependable, patient, energetic, and committed to student success.
• Ability to work during scheduled after-school hours.

Preferred

• New Jersey teaching certification or other applicable NJDOE credential.
• Teaching experience at the middle or high school level.
• Experience with college and career readiness programming.
• Experience with career exploration, workforce development, CTE, STEM, entrepreneurship, or work-based learning.
• Familiarity with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS).
• Experience working with a 21st CCLC or other out-of-school-time program.
• Experience developing project-based or hands-on learning activities.
• Knowledge of local postsecondary education, career, and workforce resources.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is someone who can teach, mentor, and inspire adolescents while helping them see a clear connection between their education and their future.

We are particularly interested in candidates who:

• Enjoy working with middle and high school students.
• Can make academic learning relevant to real-world situations.
• Are knowledgeable about a variety of career fields and pathways.
• Can engage students who may be academically disengaged or uncertain about their future.
• Encourage students to explore careers beyond traditional career choices.
• Believe students should have opportunities to discover their interests and strengths.
• Can create hands-on projects that develop both academic and workplace skills.
• Are comfortable working with community partners, employers, colleges, and other career-connected organizations.
• Bring creativity, enthusiasm, patience, and a positive attitude to the after-school environment.

Sample Program Activities

• The Academic Support & Career Exploration Teacher may facilitate activities such as:
• Career interest and skills assessments
• Career research projects
• College and career planning
• Resume and cover-letter development
• Mock interviews
• Financial literacy and budgeting
• Entrepreneurship projects
• STEM and technology career exploration
• Health-care career exploration
• Skilled trades and apprenticeship exploration
• Career panels and guest speakers
• College and workplace visits
• Job-shadowing opportunities
• Career pathway presentations
• Leadership and employability skills
• Project-based learning connected to real-world careers
• Academic tutoring connected to students' career interests

Schedule

This is a part-time, after-school position serving middle and high school students.

Typical Schedule:

2-5 days/week, Monday–Friday

2:40 PM–6:00 PM

Additional hours may be available or required for professional development, special events, family engagement activities, field trips, career events, and other approved program activities.

Compensation: $50.00 per hour

We look forward to hearing from you and potentially welcoming you to our Boys & Girls Club of Clifton Team!