Texas Transition Conference

February 2016

Curtis RichardsInstitute for Educational

Leadership, Center for Workforce Development

 Career Exploration & Development Strategies & Resources

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Who We Are & What We Do

Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)’s Center for Workforce DevelopmentNational Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) •Funded by Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor

•National TA Center assists state & local workforce development systems to integrate youth with disabilities into their service strategies•Partners: IEL; Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota; Boston University

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Guideposts for Success

Five Essential Components for All Youth:

1.School-Based Preparatory Experiences

2.Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning

3.Youth Development & Leadership

4.Connecting Activities

5.Family Involvement & Supports

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/guideposts

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Career Development Defined

An iterative process of developing skills in three domains:1.Self-exploration2.Career Exploration3.Career Planning & Management

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Self-Exploration

“Who Am I?”Definition:Ability to identify personal interests, skills, and values to better understand oneself and inform decisions

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Self-Awareness

• Many youth don’t know what their disability is, or haven’t practiced telling others about it.

• It is crucial that youth know how their disability affects them in school and employment (to the greatest extent possible).

Self-Exploration Activities

• Career Interest Inventories• Personal Interest Inventories• Understanding your learning style• Finding your strengths• Family activities such as travel or community

events

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Research to Practice – Program Examples Self-Exploration

Using Career Assessments• Shasta Co 21st Century Career Connections, CA

– Adapted RIASEC Inventory, Holland codes, universal design– Created Multiple Intelligences and Interests tool– Created TIPS for Success Guide to Transition document

• Tech-Now Oklahoma High School/High Tech– Use state career info system: Career Cluster Inventory

• Ctr for Independent Living of North Central Florida (CIL/NCF) High School/High Tech– Use state career info system: Work Values Sorter, Learning Styles

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Self-Exploration Resources

ILP How-to Guide: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide/section-1/self-exploration

Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools:•I Am Who I Am … And As Others See Me (Guideposts for Success Activities)

•O*NET Ability Profiler (identify your strengths), Interest Profiler (identify types of work activities you like), Work Importance Locator (identify what is important to you in a job)

•Identifying Personal Values (Utah)

•How Likes and Dislikes Can Influence Career Choices (Georgia)

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Self-Exploration Resources

• Using Career Interest Inventories to Inform Career Planning, Innovative Strategies Practice Brief, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/innovative-strategies/practice-briefs/using-career-interest-inventories-to-inform-career-planning

• Career Planning Begins with Assessment Guide, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/career-planning-begins-with-assessment

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Career Exploration

“Based on who I am, what are my best options to explore?”

Definition:Ability to identify and analyze various career options in terms of what education, training, experience, and competencies are required for success

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Career Exploration Activities

• Informational interviews• Workplace visits and tours• Job shadowing• Career fairs• Career camps• Hands-on career projects• Career-focused mentoring

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Research to Practice – Program ExamplesCareer Exploration

• Transitional Age Youth Program, Long Beach, CA– Career Cruising: Airport visit exposed youth to 27 jobs– Five-Day Checklist Extravaganza: Week-long job rotation

• Bay Cove Academy, Brookline, MA– Job shadowing includes career scavenger hunt activity

• Linking Learning to Life, NH– Learn to Earn Program: Employers trained to give interactive

career presentations in schools– Applying math, science, communication skills on the job

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Career Exploration Resources

ILP How-to Guide: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide/section-1/career-exploration

Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools:•Exploring Customer Service Jobs in Your Own Community; Generations at Work (Guideposts for Success Activities)

•Career Investigation (Utah)

•Career Clusters Review and Occupational Exploration (Georgia)

•My Next Move - match interests with different careers

•Career One Stop videos (U. S. DOL ETA)

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Career Exploration Resources

• Career Exploration in Action, Innovative Strategies Practice Brief http://www.ncwd-youth.info/innovative-strategies/practice-briefs/career-exploration-in-action

• How to Build Partnerships for Career Exploration: Using Job Shadows to Explore the World of Work, Monadnock Center for Successful Transitions, http://www.mcst-nh.org/images/stories/pdf/build_partnerships_for_career_exploration_sept10.pdf

• My Skills My Future, O*NET tool for those with previous work experience, http://www.myskillsmyfuture.org/

• MyFuture.com, from U.S. Defense, Commerce, Education & Labor

• Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.bls.gov/oco/

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Career Planning & Management

“What do I need to do now to make my goal a reality?”

Definition:Various skills needed to maintain employability and navigate career changes throughout the lifespan

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Activities for Career Planning & Management Skills Building

Opportunities to learn and practice:

1.Soft Skills

2.Career-Specific Skills

3.Job Search Skills

4.Youth Leadership and Development competencies

5.Financial Literacy

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Work-based Learning

• Builds skills in all 3 domains: self-exploration, career exploration, and career planning & management

• A supervised experience sponsored by an education or training organization that links knowledge gained at the worksite with a planned program of study

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Research to Practice – Program ExamplesCareer/Work Readiness Skills Training

• First Jobs Academy, ME– All youth must complete 4 weeks (6 hr/week) of pre-employment life

skills & job retention training (Curricula available online)– Training on Communication, Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving,

Professionalism, Teamwork & Collaboration; Employer partners assist in delivering training

• Open Meadow Alternative School, OR– Several weeks of training hosted by employer partner– Training in professional work culture, career planning, competitive

interviewing strategies, self marketing techniques, and networking skills

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Career Planning & Management Skill Building Resources

• Soft Skills Training ODEP’s Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for

Workplace Success curriculum, http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/

Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families InfoBrief http://www.ncwd-youth.info/information-brief-28

Soft Skills Podcast series, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/podcast/helping-youth-develop-soft-skills-for-job-success

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Research to Practice – Program ExamplesWork Experiences

• Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential, OH– 10-week summer internship: various jobs at VA Medical Center and

other work sites matching individual youth’s interests – Internship Learning Contract clarifies expectations for all– Worksite Progress Report, supervisor shares feedback

• Palm Bay High School/High Tech, FL– Students obtain internships through various connections: program

mentors, Chamber of Commerce, parents– Internship Agreement defines intern duties, expectations– Supervisor provides feedback via Student Evaluation form

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Successful Strategies for Work Experiences

1. Provide youth with soft skills training and guidance

2. Train youth in technical skills, or hard skills, as needed for specific work experience setting

3. Devote significant time to developing and maintaining relationships with employers

4. Clearly communicate what is expected of employers, youth, and families upfront

5. Carefully match youth to opportunities based on individual interests and skills

6. Provide on-going support to youth and employers throughout the work experience

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Career Planning & Management Skill Building Resources

More Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools in the Online ILP How-to Guide address:

•Job Search Skills

•Youth Development and Leadership

•Career and Work Readiness Skills 

•Work-Based Learning 

•Financial Literacy

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide/section-1/career-planning-and-management/job-search-skills

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Career Planning & Management Skill Building Resources

• Work-based Learning Engaging Youth in Work Experiences: An Innovative Strategies Practice

Brief, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/innovative-strategies/practice-briefs/engaging-youth-in-work-experiences

Work-based Learning Jumpstart: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/work-based-learning

High School/High Tech Program Guide (Ch. 3: Career Preparation and Work-based Learning Experiences), http://www.ncwd-youth.info/hsht/program-guide

Road to Self-Sufficiency: A Guide to Entrepreneurship for Youth with Disabilities, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/road-to-self-sufficiency

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Career Planning & Management Skill Building Resources

• Work-based Learning Internships: The On-Ramp to Employment, A Guide for Students

with Disabilities to Getting and Making the Most of an Internship, National Consortium on Leadership & Disability for Youth (NCLD-Youth), http://ncld-youth.info/Downloads/intern-guide-final.pdf

Quality Work-Based Learning and Postschool Employment Success: NCSET Issue Brief, http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1192

Work-Based Learning and Future Employment for Youth: A Guide for Parents and Guardians – NCSET Information Brief, http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1222

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Disclosure and Accommodations

Disclosure—youth should decide when and how much to tell others, and understand how their disability affects their capacity to learn and/or perform effectively; they should also be “aware”…

Accommodations—youth should be empowered to determine what environmental adjustments, supports, and services they need in order to access, participate and excel in school, at work, and in the community.

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Disability Disclosure Resources

• The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure

• The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Families, Educators, Youth Service Professionals, and Adult Allies Who Care About Youth with Disabilities, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure-for-adults

• Cyber Disclosure for Youth with Disabilities, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/cyber-disclosure

• Disability Disclosure Videos, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/videos

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Accommodations Resources

• The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), http://askjan.org/

• JAN’s Searchable Online Accommodation Resource, http://askjan.org/soar/

• Entering the World of Work: What Youth with Mental Health Needs Should Know About Accommodations, ODEP, http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/transitioning.htm

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Individualizing Career Development

• IEPs• ILPs• IPEs• ICDPs

More about ILPs: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp

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For More Information

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth: www.ncwd-youth.info

Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy: www.dol.gov/odep

Contact:

Curtis Richards, RichardsC@iel.org Ph. (202) 822-8405 Ext. 163

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