Employment Readiness Training

Job readiness training and life skills training focus not only on resume and interviewing tips, but importantly on addressing an individual's barriers to employment and developing a recovery plan with both short and long term goals.

Counseling & Case Mgmt. and Supportive Services

One of the most vital parts to the success of our program are our case management/ counseling piece. The case manager acts as a personal coach walking beside the client throughout their journey and ensuring that they are on the correct path to overcome their individual journey towards self-sufficiency.

Job Placement Assistance

This assistance is available to AEC Employment Readiness graduates after being deemed "job ready" by their case manager. After extensive assessments of skills, interests and previous work/training experiences, the job developer either markets potential clients to an array of employers where there is a potential "match" or offers viable job leads for the client to follow up with. A "job leads" book is always available for reference. Working as a liaison between the employer and our client has proven to add to the success for all parties involved. Supportive employment links all three parties, ensuring that the employer is satisfied with the client and aides with retention, as it costs money to re-hire and re-train.

X-CEL Program (Creating Enterprising Leaders)

This is a pilot program, implemented in 2004 to address specific needs of ex-offenders as they transition into the mainstream of the job market. This program allows AEC to offer an additional week, to our one week employment readiness training class. The second week of training provides workshops, support groups and skills assessments that will aid with job placement assistance to those who have a felony background as a barrier to employment. Our job developer works with the employment community soliciting companies who are "felon-friendly" to hire the X-CEL graduates.

Computer Training

Funded by Fulton County Human Services, Office of Workforce Development, AEC offers a six-week workshop that focuses on an introduction to basic computer and typing skills. Upon completion, all graduates leave with a working knowledge of Windows XP and Office 2003 computer applications and the ability to type at least 25 wpm.

Client Support

• Transportation Assistance: MARTA transportation is provided for class attendance and job search. MARTA transportation is also provided to graduates who have become employed until they receive the first paycheck.                                                              
• Daily Lunches: Meals prepared by Crossroads Community Ministries are provided to all class participants.
• Client Resource Center offers a Computer Lab with direct access to the GCIS (Georgia Career Information Systems) is available for participants for skills and interest assessment, resume preparation and internet job search. A client phone bank is available for job related telephone calls. We also offer a generic voice mailbox for employer calls to clients who do not have a stable phone number.
• The “AEC Alumni Group” was implemented in 2003 to offer additional support to our graduates and participants. This group meets bi-monthly to celebrate "being on the road towards self-sufficiency." Meetings include information, referrals and networking. The Alumni Advisory Board consists of past AEC graduates and is used to assist with program evaluation, marketing the Alumni Group and agenda planning.