Job Readiness: 21st Century Success Principles

The 21st Century Success Principles is a curriculum developed by the New Orleans Jobs Initiative, an Annie Casey funded program over the last 10 years. It addresses participants' beliefs about themselves and their place in the world of work and is based on national research as presented in William Julius Wilson's provocative book, When Work Disappears.

The 21st Century Success Principles curriculum addresses participants'

• understanding of workplace culture
• networks of opportunity and support
• coping skills

The curriculum was designed with employers and community representatives. It does not address such topics such as how to dress, write a resume or search for a job, although these are important skills. We believe that for long-term success, people need guidance in a deeper way. Therefore, "21st Century Success Principles" addresses topics such as: code switching, internal discipline, coping with racism, and teamwork.

A LEARNER CENTERED INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH:

The teaching approach that is applied rigorously throughout the course draws on years of international research and practice in how adults learn. The approach we use is derived from the renowned work of Dr. Jane Vella and Global Learning Partners. This approach recognizes that all participants come to the course with life experiences and some work experiences that have shaped their expectations of themselves, and of the world around them. Participants walk through structured learning tasks, using dialogue as a path to self-discovery. They examine their own expectations and responses to realistic situations; they share these with each other. Course leaders broaden participants' thinking by offering different perspectives and new information.

The"Success Principles" course teaches more than the explicit content - workplace culture, code switching and coping skills. We also aim to boost participants' basic skills. Many individuals have had limited opportunity to express themselves with confidence and clarity. Through the continuous use of open questions, we invite participants to question their assumptions about workplace culture, and at the same time build their critical-thinking and personal communication skills.