Domain 6: Career Development

6.1 Respond to employment trends and needs in the community.

6.2 Modify work and community environments to accommodate youth with disabilities.

6.3 Ensure effective work placements based on student interests and strengths (i.e., student-directed job development).

6.4 Use or share instructional resources addressing work-related behaviors and skills (e.g., job skills curricula, job application skills).

6.5 Provide or facilitate instruction in career awareness.

6.6 Provide teachers with resources for career awareness & career exploration.

6.7 Communicate regularly with employers, businesses, and work site personnel.

6.8 Provide or facilitate on-the-job support for students (e.g., modifying work environments;facilitating natural supports).

6.9 Collaborate with career/technical education programs to include students with disabilities.

6.10 Develop school-based employment experiences and curricula (e.g., student-run businesses, in-school internships), as needed.

6.11 Coordinate work-based programs (e.g., work-study, paid work experiences, internships).

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) reported that 21.6% of people with disabilities were in the labor force compared with 70% of people without disabilities (2009). This statistic highlights the importance of career development for youth with disabilities. Career development has three phases that helps students identify potential career interests- career awareness, career exploration, and career preparation (New Ways to Work, 2008). The Career Development Prezi exemplifies how KIPP Austin Collegiate High School carries out the career development process for students; highlighting the range of options offered to students in general education and special education programs. Activities include internships, guest speakers, coursework that highlights careers in the area of study, visits to higher education institutions and technical schools, on campus job opportunities, community based instruction and linkages to community agencies such as vocational representatives. Some of these options highlight how schools can develop partnerships with chambers of commerce and employment networks by being more specific about how these community partnerships can support youth in developing work skills. Schools should consider all networks that can be potential partners in developing job opportunities such as relationships (who do you know in your personal network that could lead to employment), churches, fraternal organizations, etc. (Carter, Trainor, Cakiroglu, Cole, Sweeden, Ditchman, Owens, 2009). NTACTS's Labor Market Information for teachers provides a five step process to educators to help students identify career interests, analyze market trends and prepare students for post-secondary education and training to meet demands in the market place. The Career Development and Work Based Learning Padlet shows various resources that can be utilized in each phase of career development. This could be used as a resource that is shared with educators to support instruction in career development.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is one way in which students with disabilities can experience career development. Participation in CTE programs lead to higher post secondary employment and competitive employment opportunities. Many high schools offer CTE program options, however, students with disabilities face challenges as they enter these programs due to lack of collaboration between special education teams and CTE programs. Collaboration between secondary education institutions and CTE programs should be established, monitored and improved based on survey data that is grounded in federal and state mandates for programs, local education agency policies, and to ensure best practices are being used in these partnerships.

An advisory committee can be developed to help guide participation of CTEs in IEP and transition meetings, to determine roles and responsibilities of CTEs when working with secondary schools, and a framework for professional development opportunities (Schmalzried, 2014). Lakeside High School provides many opportunities for CTE on campus and through a partnership with the community college which can be utilized to support post school employment outcomes for students with disabilities.

In addition to the three phases of career development, research has found that a major factor in the success of youth with disabilities securing employment is the role of an employment specialist. An employment specialist understands how to match a student's skills, strengths and interests with the needs of employers and also develop strong relationships with employers to effectively network and facilitate employment. Employment specialists must possess competencies as well as desired employment outcomes. These competencies are discovery and assessment, building employer relationships, job matching and workplace supports (Tilson & Simonsen, 2013). One way an employment specialist may match a student to a job is through the completion of a Work Experience/Job Search Plan which will incorporate information from the Positive Personal Profile, desired employment, preferences for employment setting and hours, potential accommodations, and a generated list of potential employers to research and network with. Once employment has been established ongoing supports and communication will facilitate relationship building with employers and lead to potential employment opportunities in the future. Lindsey, Robinson, McDougal, Sanford, and Adams (2012) found that brief, structured work development programs provide the accommodations and supports for youth and employers which allows employers to see how youth with disabilities are supported in the workplace increasing the likelihood of hiring in the future. A Workplace Supports Plan is one way to collaborate and communicate responsibilities of employment specialists, employers, and employees to ensure there is a positive work experience and to continue building relationships with employers.

References

Bastarache, E., Donmeyer, A., Johnson, K., Mischel Smith, T., Schirmer, R. (January, 2018). M2: Assignment: Career Development and Work-Based Learning (Group Padlet). Sped 857: Career Development for Youth. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

Carter, E., Trainor, A., Cakiroglu, O., Cole, O., Swedeen, B., Ditchman, N., Owens, L. (2009). Exploring school-business partnerships to expand career development and early work experiences for youth with disabilities. Career Development For Exceptional Individuals, 32, 145-159.

Lakeside High School Course Catalog [PDF]. (2018). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k_dLIJj_921qocTqHzeee_eA_i9FJDBr/view

Lindsay S, Robinson S, McDougall C, Sanford R, Adams T. (2012) Employers’ perspectives of working with people with disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Community & Rehabilitation, 11(1). http://www.ijdcr.ca/VOL11_01/articles/lindsay.shtml

New Ways To Work, Inc. (2008).Career Development Continuum [PDF]. Retreived from http://www.newwaystowork.org/uploads/files/documents/Career_Development/CareerDevelopmentContinuum.pdf

Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2009). December 2009 disability employment statistics. Available from http://www .dol.gov/odep

Schirmer, R. (2018, March) Career Development Prezi. Sped 857: Career Development for Youth. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

Schirmer, R. (2018, July) Running Project Part 1. Sped 862: Work-Based Learning. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Schirmer, R. (2018, July) Running Project Part 3. Sped 862: Work-Based Learning. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Schirmer, R. (2018, August) Running Project Part 4. Sped 862: Work-Based Learning. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Schmalzried, Joan E. (2014). Perceptions of special education and career and technical education collaboration and communication. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 37, 84-95.

Simonsen, M., Fabian, E., & Leucking, R. (2015). Employer preferences in hiring youth with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 81 (1), Pgs. 9-18.

Tilson, G., & Simonsen, M. (2013). The personnel factor: Exploring the personal attributes of highly successful employment specialists who work with transition-age youth. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, (38), 125–137-125–137. doi:10.3233

What Educators Need to Know About Labor Market Information [PDF]. (2019). Retrieved from https://transitionta.org/system/tdf/news/LMI%20Teachers%20FINAL.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=1698&force=0