The Role of Work Experiences in Guiding Careers Richard Luecking, Ed.D. TransCen, Inc. October 27,...

The Role of Work Experiences

in Guiding Careers

Richard Luecking, Ed.D.TransCen, Inc.

October 27, 2010

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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WORK IS

GOOD!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Presumption of Employability

The culmination of publicly supported education can and should be adult employment for all youth, regardless of disability, need for support and accommodation, or economic circumstance.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Optimum Transition Service

Includes:• Youth empowerment

• Family involvement and supports

• Academic preparation paired with work experience

• WORK!

• Connections to ancillary and post-secondary services

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Work experience in secondary school

1#1 Factor predicting post school

career success…

WORK EXPERIENCE in secondary school

WORK EXPERIENCE in secondary school

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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What we know…• Work experience is

valuable for all categories of youth with disabilities

• Youth with any category of disability can perform work that is valuable to employers

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Through work experiences youth learn…• How to work

• Where to work

• The best ways to be supported and accommodated at work

• To produce at work to the satisfaction of current and future employers

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Types of Work Experience

Career exploration

• Visits to work places to learn about jobs and skills needed to perform them

Job shadowing

• Time spent accompanying an employee at a workplace

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Types of Work Experience

Work sampling

• Spending time in the workplace “sampling” job tasks

Service learning

• Structured hands-on volunteer service

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Types of Work Experience

Internships

• Formal arrangements, paid or unpaid, for youth to perform assigned work tasks over extended time period

Apprenticeships

• Formal, sanctioned work experiences to learn occupational trade

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Types of Work Experience

Paid employment

• The “gold standard” – wage paid directly to youth, youth performs a standardized job in a company or customized work assignments

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Functions of Work ExperienceType Function

Career exploration Initial exposure to jobs and careers

Job shadowing Observation of work environment, exposure to jobs and careers

Work sampling “trying out” job tasks, exposure to jobs and careers, identification of support needs and workplace preferences

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Functions of Work ExperienceType Function

Service learning Learning follow-through, taking directions, community service

Internships, work co-ops Intensive career/job preparation, in-depth exposure to a job and workplace

Apprenticeships Building occupational skills related to trade certification

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Functions of Work ExperienceType Function

Paid employment • Building a resume• Continuing to build work skills, and “soft”

skills• Identifying workplace preferences and

vocational preferences• Earning money

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Sequence of Work Experience• Start early

Middle school: career exploration, job shadowing Early secondary school: introduce work sampling Later secondary school: continue work sampling,

introduce paid employment Last year in secondary school and beyond:

internships, apprenticeships, paid employment

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Implications for Practice• Facilitate more work-based

learning for all students with disabilities

• Base these experiences on a youth directed process

• Staff/teacher professional development

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Implications for Practice• Support families to support work experiences

• Interagency collaboration prior to school exit to build on and sustain work-based learning

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Practical Examples

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Practical Examples

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Practical Examples

Maximizing Transition Outcomes

collaborations for employment

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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What Does it Take?• Blending and braiding resources

• Identifying points of success for all elements of the collaborating systems

• Flexible applications of governing regulations of collaborating systems

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Schools need…Special education law compliance

Collaboration to begin joint service BEFORE school exit …

COLLABORATIONS

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Rehabilitation closuresEmployment goals met

Bang for the buck!

COLLABORATIONS

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Advance referrals – well before school exit

Opportunity to get to know youth before school exit

COLLABORATIONS

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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What do Youth and Families Need?• Opportunities for self-directed transition plans

• Individualized, person centered service

• Responsive support

• JOBS!!!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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The Ideal…

Youth are jointly served by school system and adult employment agenciesBEFORE school exit.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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The Result…Seamless transition

from students to employed adults

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Resource

A practical guide, developed to help educators, transition specialists, and employment specialists facilitate individualized, person-centered work experiences and jobs for high school students and young adults with a wide range of disabilities.

Available from TransCen, Inc. www.transcen.org

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

30

WORK IS

GOOD!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

31

QUESTIONS?

Richard Luecking, Ed.D.

TransCen, Inc.

rluecking@transcen.org

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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THANK YOU!

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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TACE Center: Region IV Toll-free: (866) 518-7750 [voice/tty]

Fax: (404) 541-9002

Web: TACEsoutheast.org

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

Email: tacesoutheast@law.syr.edu

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Education CreditsCRCC Credit - (2.0)Approved by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor

Certification (CRCC) • By Friday, November 5, 2010, participants must score

80% or better on a online Post Test and  submit an online CRCC Request Form via the MyTACE Portal.  

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

**For CRCC credit, you must reside in the 8 U.S. Southeast states served by the TACE Region IV [AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN]. If beyond TACE Region IV, you may apply for CEU credit.

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Copyright Information

This work is the property of the TACE Center: Region IV. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Disclaimer

This presentation was developed by the TACE Center: Region IV ©2010 with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the priority of Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Projects (TACE) – Grant #H264A080021. However, the contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the RSA and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government [34 CFR 75.620 (b)].