Academic Career Advisor

Destiny-Arts-Center; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Destiny Arts Center in Oakland seeks an Academic & Career Advisor to guide high school students (13–18) and young adults (18–24) toward graduation, college or trade programs, and workforce entry. You will collaborate with the Care team to coordinate educational support within Destiny’s wraparound services.

This exempt role emphasizes independent judgment, workshop development, and community engagement, while supporting families and maintaining strong partnerships with schools and youth programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Counseling, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• At least 2 years of direct youth-work experience.
• Knowledge of California A-G requirements and college systems.
• Familiarity with IEP processes and related advocacy.

Responsibilities

• Guide students through academic and postsecondary pathways.
• Develop and lead workforce-readiness workshops and internships.
• Help families with FAFSA, financial aid, and scholarship options.
• Coordinate with schools, teachers, and families about IEPs and accommodations.
• Maintain case notes and data for grant reports and program evaluation.

Skills

Youth development experience

Facilitation

Bilingual Spanish/English

Independent judgment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Counseling, or related field

Job description

About Destiny Arts Center
Destiny Arts Center (DAC) is a nationally recognized leader in creative youth development and a vital cultural institution in Oakland. For nearly four decades, Destiny has been an artistic home for thousands of Bay Area youth and families, a place where young people find their voices, build their talents and relationships, and experience belonging.

Our mission is to inspire and ignite social change through the arts. Through dance, martial arts, theater, and other movement arts, we support young people in becoming peaceful, powerful, and creative individuals who contribute to stronger, healthier communities.

Position Summary

Destiny Arts Center is an Oakland-based arts organization that uses movement (dance and martial arts), music, and visual art to help young people figure out who they are and where they’re going. The Academic & Career Advisor bridges that work with the concrete, practical work of graduation requirements, college applications, financial aid, job readiness, and family advocacy.

This is not a school-based or county-office role. The Advisor works in a building where someone is rehearsing down the hall, and where a young person who struggled in an IEP meeting last week may be leading a dance cipher this week — an environment that changes how young people show up and what becomes possible for them.

As part of Destiny’s Care team, the Advisor partners closely with the Youth and Family Support Specialist so that educational support is integrated into a broader ecosystem of wraparound services, grounded in a strengths-based, holistic approach that recognizes academic achievement is deeply intertwined with social, emotional, cultural, and creative well-being.

The role centers on high school students (ages 13–18) and young adults (ages 18–24) working toward graduation, navigating college or trade programs, or building stable footing in the workforce. The Advisor also provides lighter support and referrals for younger students (ages 5–12) and stays connected to families throughout each young person’s journey.

As an exempt position, this role is expected to exercise independent judgment and discretion in managing a caseload, prioritizing competing family and program needs, developing workshop content, and representing Destiny in institutional and community settings, rather than working a fixed, hourly schedule of tasks.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Academic Success & Postsecondary Navigation (Ages 13–24)

This is the core of the role. The Advisor is the primary point of contact for students and young adults moving through high school completion and whatever comes after, and works closely with each student to co-create a roadmap that honors their unique academic, creative, and personal goals.

• Guide students through California A-G requirements, credit recovery options, and graduation pathways
• Support college applications across community colleges, UC, CSU, and private institutions
• Help young adults complete GEDs or re-enroll in school after time away
• Track grades and academic standing for students on Destiny's performance companies, working alongside schools and partner organizations to keep performance opportunities and academics in balance, and stepping in with extra support as needed
• Own the financial aid process, including FAFSA, Cal Grant, the California Dream Act, and WIOA/WIA workforce grants — demystifying award letters, the true cost of a degree, and scholarship and work-study options
• Provide light academic mentorship for younger students (ages 5–12), focused on study habits, executive functioning, and a love of learning
• Support families navigating IEP processes and school-based accommodations, serving as a liaison between Destiny, school personnel, and caregivers without replacing special education services
• Help students and families recognize and leverage skills built through dance, martial arts, and theater as transferable assets for the classroom, a job site, or a creative career

Workforce Readiness & Youth Employment

The Advisor helps young people get ready for work, find it, and keep it — including Destiny’s own youth staff.

• Develop and lead workshops on resumes, LinkedIn, interviews, and navigating workplace dynamics
• Connect participants to internships, job shadows, apprenticeships, and vocational programs
• Handle the administrative side of youth employment: work permits, labor law basics, I-9s, and W-4s
• Support Destiny Arts Center’s own youth staff and camp counselors through hiring and onboarding
• Co-develop workforce-readiness workshops with the Youth and Family Support Specialist and external partners, building transferable skills such as goal setting, professional communication, and time management

Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is woven directly into the advising relationship as a practical extension of each student’s real goals, not an abstract lesson.

• For college-bound students: demystify FAFSA and award letters, the true cost of a degree, and scholarship or work-study options
• For students entering the workforce or a trade: cover budgeting basics, pay stubs, taxes, and opening a first bank account
• For young artists: teach how to price a performance, negotiate a rate, manage inconsistent income, and understand contracts
• Reinforce concepts through periodic financial literacy workshops developed with the Youth and Family Support Specialist and outside experts

Family Advocacy & Community Engagement

Families need someone who knows the systems and will show up with them, not just point them somewhere.

• Advocate alongside parents and caregivers in institutional meetings, including IEP and financial aid meetings
• Host workshops that help families understand what they’re entitled to and how to ask for it
• Stay connected to young people and families dealing with housing instability, system involvement, or other real barriers
• Communicate in a culturally responsive way that acknowledges the systemic barriers many students face, ensuring advising feels relevant, affirming, and community-rooted

Program Operations & Reporting

The behind-the-scenes work that keeps the program accountable and connected across Destiny’s ecosystem of services.

• Maintain accurate case notes and records tied to each student’s individual goals
• Pull data and write narratives for grant reports
• Coordinate with teaching artists and outside partners so students don’t fall through the cracks between programs
• Partner with the Case Manager to ensure academic support is integrated into Destiny’s broader wraparound service model

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field — or equivalent experience
• At least 2 years of experience working directly with young people in youth development, case management, school counseling, or a related setting
• Working knowledge of California A-G requirements, college and financial aid systems, and IEP processes
• Comfortable facilitating groups and leading workshops
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred; culturally responsive in communication style
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, manage a varied caseload, and prioritize competing needs with minimal direct supervision, consistent with this position’s exempt classification

Work Environment & Schedule

This role is based on-site at Destiny Arts Center in Oakland, working alongside teaching artists and programming rather than in a school or county office. As an exempt, salaried position, the schedule may require some evenings or weekends for workshops, performances, or family events, with flexibility to manage time and workload accordingly. This role is not eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).