Title: Student Support Specialist, Workforce Solutions
Agency: Tidewater Community College
Location: Norfolk - 710
FLSA: Exempt
Hiring Range: $50,000 - $60,000, commensurate w/ experience
Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
Job Description:
Tidewater Community College has served South Hampton Roads – both students and employers – for 50 years. It has grown from 1 campus into a regional educational and economic force. TCC is the largest provider of higher education and workforce services in Hampton Roads, enrolling nearly 25,000 students in 2024-25. Founded in 1968 as a part of the Virginia Community College System, Tidewater Community College (TCC) services South Hampton Roads with 4 campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, 7 regional centers and 2 important cultural institutions. The college had 3,399 graduates in 2024-2025, 40 percent of whom pursued degrees that would let them transfer to 4-year institutions. Of South Hampton Roads residents enrolled in higher education 33% enrolled at TCC. TCC’s institutional accreditation is affirmed through 2027 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The organizational objective of Workforce Solutions is to provide high quality training that meets the needs of employers in South Hampton Roads. This is accomplished through open enrollment classes and as well as customized training solutions for employers that are designed and delivered by TCC subject matter experts working in conjunction business clients.
The Student Support Specialist is a dynamic, student-centered professional who plays a critical role in supporting individuals throughout their Workforce (WFS) program journey. This position is uniquely structured to provide support across five core areas: onboarding/enrollment, career coaching, student retention, and outreach/engagement, and employment support. The Specialist serves as a trusted guide, advocate, and connector—ensuring that students not only enter the college successfully but also persist, complete their training, and transition into meaningful employment.
In this role, the Student Support Specialist engages with prospective students from their first point of contact, helping them navigate the processes of program selection, application, and financial aid. They provide personalized career coaching to help students align their training with long-term goals, and they offer ongoing support to address academic and non-academic challenges that may arise during the student’s journey.
The Student Support Specialist actively promotes WFS programs through community engagement, marketing initiatives, and relationship-building with local employers and partners. They play a key role in expanding the college’s reach, increasing enrollment, and ensuring that students are connected to real-world opportunities that align with their training. This position requires strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and a proactive approach to student success. The ideal candidate is passionate about workforce development, skilled in using technology to enhance communication and tracking, and committed to helping students overcome barriers and achieve their goals.
This is a restricted funded position. Minimum Qualifications:
1. Knowledge of recruitment, enrollment, and advising for workforce programs.
2. Knowledge of barriers to educational success and a desire to help others reach their career goals
3. Demonstrated skill in academic and career counseling.
4. Strong interpersonal skills to help engage, provide support to, and motivate students
5. Excellent customer service skills, including the ability to effectively follow up and follow through
6. Effective oral and written communication skills
7. Effective problem-solving skills
8. Excellent organizational skills
9. Proficient in use of technology, including ZOOM, CANVAS, Navigate, Outlook, Microsoft Office, & Google Docs
10. Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently as well as part of a team
11. Knowledge in the development of individual action plans
12. Knowledge of specific needs of underserved populations in order to attain educational success
13. Knowledge of financial aid and scholarship information
14. Experience working with racially, ethnically, economically and age diverse individuals
Additional Considerations:
15. Work experience in a community college setting or in counseling or academic coaching
16. Knowledge of PeopleSoft and other educational technologies
17. Knowledge of VCCS academic and workforce programs