PRE-ETS PROGRAMING:EARLY INTRODUCTION OF CAREER OPTIONS

TERRIE HYLTON, PHD, LPC

COMPETITIVE INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT MANAGER

SERVICES TO ENHANCE POTENTIAL

NOVEMBER 2019

OBJECTIVES

Identify Identify Specific Programs Developed by STEP for Pre-ETS

Understand Understand How to Design a Program for Transition Students

Describe Describe Pre-Employment Transition Services Categories

WIOA

• The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and now requires vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to set aside at least 15% of their federal funds to provide "pre-employment transition services" to "Students with Disabilities who are eligible or potentially eligible for VR services ."

PRE-ETS AND TRANSITION STUDENTS

• Pre-Employment Transition Services are available in Michigan to students with disabilities who are age 14-26 years old and accepted or enrolled in secondary or postsecondary education. Students must demonstrate interest and need to receive the services.

• Pre-Employment Transition Services are an early intervention delivered in a variety of developmentally appropriate experiences with the goal of ultimately leading to competitive, integrated employment outcomes.

• State of Michigan DHHS/MRS Pre-Employment Transition Services

PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES

• Career Exposure and Work Experiences in high school =

Higher rates of post –school employment

(Luecking, Fabian & Neubert, 2018)

• Real Collaboration between schools, state VR and partnerships with community rehabilitation organizations (CRO) and CMH agencies focusing on employment outcomes of the commonly served youth (not just a hand-off)

• Involve employers for securing and offering work based experiences

THE FIVE PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORIES

• Job Exploration

• Work-Based Learning Experiences

• Counseling on Post-Secondary Education

opportunities

• Workplace Readiness to develop social skills

and Independent Living

• Instruction in Self-Advocacy

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORY1. JOB EXPLORATION

• Learn about different jobs, consider job interests and what skills are needed to be successful:

• Career Awareness

• Job Interest Inventory

• Informational Interviews

• Career Seminars/Speakers

• MCTI Visit

• Info on High Demand Jobs

• Vocational Assessment

• Vocational Counseling

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORY2. WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES• Career Mentorships

• Internships

• Job Shadowing

• Job Tryouts

• Student-led enterprises

• Simulated workplace experience

• Short term employment

• OJT

• Worksite Tours

• Apprenticeships

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORY3. COUNSELING ON POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

• Certificate Programs

• Visit Post-Secondary institutions

• Info on academic curricula to earn degree

• Applications and admissions information processes

• Workshop on assessing disability resources on campuses

• Identify learning style preferences and goals

• College essay writing workshop

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORY4. WORKPLACE READINESS TRAINING

• Communication skills training and practice

• Financial Literacy

• Independent Living Skills

• Job Seeking Skills

• Benefits Counseling

• Soft Skills Development

• Social Media Practices

• Workplace Technology

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORY5. SELF-ADVOCACY TRAINING

• Peer Mentoring/Guidance Program

• Self Advocacy/Self Determination Workshops

• Leadership Skills

• Disability Disclosure Techniques

• How to request accommodations

• Decision making

• Goal setting

• Knowing rights and responsibilities

HOW TO DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION STUDENTS

• Interagency Collaboration ( Michigan Rehabilitation Services, Bureau of Services for Blind People, local high schools-public, private , charter)

• Referrals

• Funding

• Program Development

• Resources/Cooperation

• Relationships with Employers

• Presentations

• Tours

• Work Experiences and Employment

HOW TO DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION STUDENTS CONTINUED

• Staff

Knowledgeable about disabilities and teenagers

Good Communication Skills, use creative vocabulary

Flexible Energetic

Creative Good Listener

Patient Kind

Good Presentation Skills Familiar with Workplaces, Local Employers

HOW TO DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION STUDENTS CONTINUED

• Transportation

• General Information on Student

• Release Form from Parents

• General Information on Disability

• Allergies/ Emergency Procedures/ Medical Contacts

• Accompanied by Support Person for personal needs

• Work experience- can work maximum 20 hours per week (between 8am-8pm)

HOW TO DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION STUDENTS CONTINUED

• Program Design

Interactive-Hands On Experiences Know your Audiance

Employment Driven Use Employment Language

Promote Employment and its values Obtainable Jobs

Fast Pace Use Visuals (cards, Large Post Its, Videos…)

Community Activities Holistic (socialize, exercise, food etc.)

HOW TO DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION STUDENTS CONTINUED

• Meet the Needs of the community –Who is not being included in the programming?

• Look at Jobs where there is a high demand-Health Care, STEM, Financial

• Consider Self Employment/Small Business

• Promote Employment as a viable option for the student

• Use language that is at the level of the individual and be open to providing explanations

• At workplaces try to have a person with a disability presenting their job

STEP PRE-ETS PROGRAMSNEXT- NAVIGATING EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES TOGETHER

PRE-ETS SERVICE CATEGORIES

• 1. Job Exploration

• 2. Work-Based Learning Experiences

• 3. Counseling on Post-Secondary Education

• 4. Workplace Readiness Training

• 5. Self-Advocacy Training

STEP NEXT PROGRAMS• 1. Career Probe-Design A Program, STEM Careers-Skilled Trades,

Community Based Assessment, Women First- Embracing Your Future

• 2. Internships, Job Shadowing, Job Tryouts, Worksite Tours, Volunteer Experiences, On-the-Job Evaluation, Project Search

• 3. Career Camp, Pre-Entrepreneurship

• 4. Career Seekers, Work Readiness, STEM Careers, Retail Training, Janitorial Training and Certification, Soft Skills, Transportation On The Move, Job Development and Placement, Workplace Supports

• 5. Life Skills, Women First- Stepping Stones

CAREER CAMP

• Summer Program

• June, July, August

• Specific Career Pathways

• Post High School Training options

CAREER SEEKERS

• Phase 1: Workplace Exposure

• Phase 2: Workplace Foundations

• Phase 3: Workplace Experience

CAREER PROBE: DESIGN A PROGRAM

• Job Exploration for students at different levels: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced

• Career Awareness

• Informational Interviews

• Career speakers

• Career exploration, videos, tour, job shadow

• Career Portfolio (interests, labor market data, high demand…)

• Vocational Counseling

• Etc.….

COMMUNITY BASED WORK ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING

• Maximum 20 hours per week with wages

• Real Work settings

• Ratings on generic work skills and behaviors and specific work activities

• Report with recommendations with possible job placement and supports to maintain employment

PRE-ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• Introduction to starting a small business

• Phase I: Entrepreneurial Concepts

• Phase II: Designing a Prototype

• Phase III: Testing the Market

STEM CAREERS: SKILLED TRADES

• Phase I: Introduction to the skilled trades

• Phase II: Specific Trade in-depth training

• Phase III: Local Business/Apprenticeship tours

• Each session includes career focused activities, communication , behaviors and social skills

WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES

• Internships (paid, unpaid)

• On-the-Job Evaluation (paid, work assessment)

• Job Shadowing (1-2 hours)

• Volunteer Experience (unpaid, 2-4 hours)

• Job Tryouts (unpaid, 4 hours)

• Worksite Tours (site visit)

• Project Search

WOMEN FIRST (2 PROGRAMS)

EMBRACING YOUR FUTURE

• Tours and Interviews with women owned businesses and community services

STEPPING STONES

• Activity Based Learning (self-Reflection) topics may include:

• Communication, Teamwork, Cooperation

• Active Listening, Problem Solving, Social Media…

PROJECT SEARCH- NATIONAL FIDELITY STANDARDS

PARTNERS

• Employer: in area-introduce PS concepts, departments, guidelines

• School: identify students, Hold parent/student meetings, get consent for last year with an employer

• MRS/BSBP-enroll for services, authorizations

• STEP- registers in CMH/supports coordination

FORMAT

• Last year of high school

• Three-10 week department rotations

• Skills Trainers on employer site (max 5:1)

• Monthly Supports Coordination

• Job Placement

WORK READINESS TRAINING

• Designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advance Interactive training (design a program)

• Money Management

• Social Media

• Independent Living Skills

• Workplace Etiquette

• Paper/Virtual resume

• Work Adjustment

• Benefits Counseling

• Etc.

SOFT SKILLS: MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENTDESIGN A PROGRAM-TOPICS AND DURATION

• Positive attitude

• Teamwork

• Problem solving

• Talking/writing

• Cooperation

• Active listening

• Decision making

• Conflict resolution

• Body language

• Professionalism

• Work manners

• Supporting others

• Taking initiative

• Showing respect

TRANSPORTATION TRAINING: ON THE MOVE

• One-on One or small group

• Navigation of public transportation- phone, computer, in-person; payment options

• Classroom and Community Based Learning

• Bus routes

• Q-Line

• Taxi, Uber, Lyft

• Shared Rides

• Train

LIFE SKILLS

• Part 1: Home Life

• Part II: Home Life II

• Part III: Work Ready

• Part IV: Self-Care

• Part V: Expanding Self

SPECIFIC JOB TRAINING

RETAIL

• Comprehensive training for an employer

• Unpaid Externship

• Job Placement

JANITORIAL

• Basic: • Modules on Introductory to cleaning

services, Certificate

• Advanced: • Modules on chemicals and

equipment, Certificate

JOB PLACEMENT

A. Traditional Job Placement (employer

opening)

B. Customized Employment (create a job to meet customer

skills and employer needs)

C. Job Carving (select parts of a

job for customer to do and other tasks done by another staff member)

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

• “Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.” — Jesse Jackson, Politician and Civil Rights Activist

(Crain’s Business Magazine)

• Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you’re needed by an employer and it is up to the vocational rehabilitation professionals to figure-out the job placement location. – Terrie Hylton, PhD

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS CONT.

• We are the change agents, and we must resist the oppression of low expectations. We need to open our eyes to the inequality that remain in the workplace for people with disabilities. Employers won’t know the full potential of the workplace until everyone sees how far we really are from equality and inclusion.

REFERENCES

• 1. Luecking, Fabian and Neubert, 2018. Transition Practices of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Serving Students and youth with Disabilities, an issue brief of the RRTC on VR Practices for Youth. Available at http://vrpracticesandyouth.org/vocational-rehabilitation-vr-practices/center-publications/

• 2. Schall, C.M.; Wehman,P.; Brooke, V.; Graham, C.; McDonough, J.; Brooke, A.; Ham, W.; Rounds, R.; Lau, S.; Allen, J. (2015). Employment Interventions for Individuals with ASD: The Relative Efficacy of Supported Employment With or Without Prior Project SEARCH Training. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45 (12), 3990–4001.

• 3. Shields, M. (2015). Transition to Tertiary: Building bridges in secondary school, making it work for young people with Asperger's syndrome. Proceedings of the Australian Association of Special Education National Conference. Special Education Perspectives, 24(1), 7-14.

• 4. Smith, M.J.; Fleming, M.F.; Wright, M.A.; Losh, M.; Humm, L.B.; Olsen, D., Bell, M.D. (2015). Brief report: vocational outcomes for young adults with autism spectrum disorders at six months after virtual reality job interview training. Journal of Autism andDevelopmental Disorders, 45(10), 3364–3369.

• 5. Wehman, P.; Sima, A.P.; Ketchum, J.; West, M.D.; Chan, F.; Luecking, R. (2015). Predictors of Successful Transition from School to Employment for Youth with Disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(2), 323–334.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Terrie Hylton, PhD, LPC

• Services To Enhance Potential

• 450 S. Venoy Westland, Michigan 48186

• 734. 722.1000 ext. 1635

• 734.634.0273 (cell)

• thylton@stepcentral.org