EJC provided five weeks of classroom and job search workshops that aligned with participants’ occupational interests. During the first week, participants explored careers, identified their field of interest, developed career plans, and created resumes and master job applications. During the second week, participants refined their career development plans, practiced mock interviews, discussed previous job searches with EJC staff, and focused on specific job searches that aligned with their occupational interests. During the third and fourth weeks, participants had one-hour check-in meetings with a facilitator, received feedback on job search efforts, refined their career development plans, and expanded the scope of their job searches. During weeks two to four, participants had to make three to five face-to-face contacts per day with potential employers. During the fifth week, participants who remained unemployed received individualized job search assistance from EJC staff, including discussing and receiving feedback on the participants’ job searches, providing job leads, ensuring that participants followed through with employer contacts, and finding and addressing any employment barriers.
Job activities in weeks one to four were mandatory for all participants, and activities in week five were voluntary. Unemployed TANF recipients participating in California's mandatory welfare-to-work program were eligible to receive EJC services. The program took place in Los Angeles County, CA.
EJC provided classroom activities and targeted job search activities to help unemployed recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) retain and advance future employment.