1. What is Career Readiness?
How Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Can Help Increase Student Outcomes

2. What does it mean to be College and Career ready?

3. What does it mean to be Career Ready?

4. What do Employers Expect?

5. What Employers Expect Determination and Persistence
Ability to Work with Co-Workers
Eager and Willing to Add to Their Knowledge and Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Loyalty
Communication Skills
Honesty
Technical Competency
Work Ethic
Flexibility
What Employers Expect

6. VR assists people with disabilities to prepare for, secure, retain and regain employment

7. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Aims to increase access to and opportunities for employment, education, training, and support services, particularly for individuals with the greatest barriers to employment.
Signed in law on July 22, 2014.
Designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market.
First legislative reform to the public workforce system in more that 15 years.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

8. Why Does this Matter to a District?
Opportunities
Why Does this Matter to a District?

9. WIOA Impact on Students
15% of the states allotment under the VR grant must be used for the provision of pre-employment transition services for “students” with disabilities.
WIOA Impact on Students

10. What Are Pre-Employment Transition Services?
Pre-employment Transition Services include:
Job exploration counseling
Work based learning opportunities
Counseling on post-secondary educational opportunities
Workplace readiness training
Instruction in self-advocacy
What Are Pre-Employment Transition Services?

11. Job Exploration Group Examples Individual Examples
Providing information regarding in-demand industry sectors
Nontraditional employment
Information about labor market composition
Administration of vocational interest inventories
Identification of career pathways
Discussions pertinent to the student regarding the student’s vocational interest inventory results
Discussions on in-demand occupations, career pathways, and local labor market information that applies to the student’s areas of interest.
Job Exploration

12. Work Based Learning Experiences
Group Examples
Individual Examples
Coordinating a school-based program of job training
Informational interviews to research employers
Work-site tours to learn about necessary job skills
Job shadowing
Mentoring opportunities in the community
Paid or unpaid work experience
Internships apprenticeships
On-the-job trainings located in the community
Interpreter, reader services, or accessible materials
Uniforms
Printing of accessible informational materials
Work Based Learning Experiences

13. Counseling on Postsecondary Educational Opportunities
Group Examples
Individual Examples
Counseling on course offerings, career options, the types of academic and occupational training needed to succeed in the workplace and postsecondary opportunities associated with career fields or pathways.
Advising students/parents or representatives on academic curricula
Providing information about college application and admissions process
Assisting with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Providing resources that may be used to support individual student success (i.e., disability support services).
Counseling on Postsecondary Educational Opportunities

14. Workplace Readiness Training
Group Examples
Individual Examples
Teach skills such as communication and interpersonal skills
Financial literacy
Job-seeking skills and understanding employer expectations, as well as other “soft” skills necessary for employment.
All of the group services could be tailored to an individual student’s needs, as well as provide opportunities to acquire and apply the newly learned skills.
Driver’s training and training on use of public transportation
Workplace Readiness Training

15. Instruction in Self-Advocacy
Group Examples
Individual Examples
Teach about their rights and responsibilities,
Teach how to request accommodations or services and supports, communicate their thoughts, concerns and needs in order to prepare them for peer mentoring opportunities
Students could conduct informational interviews
Mentor with educational staff or individuals employed by boards, associations or organizations in the community
Participate in youth leadership activities
Instruction in Self-Advocacy

16. What is a Student Under WIOA?
Is a student aged 16-21(in Idaho we can serve 15 year olds)
Is eligible for, and receiving, special education or related services under part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
And/or
Is an individual with a disability, for purposes of section 504
What is a Student Under WIOA?

17. Some Examples of Services
Paid Summer Work Experiences
MOSS Camp
BSU PREP Academy
LCSC CREW experience
ISU Bengal's Project
IESDB Summer work training and paid work experience
Job shadows
BSU and CWI Educational Access Center Mentoring
Various district collaborative projects
Online Digital Literary Skills project
Some Examples of Services

18. We Need District’s Help
We need more students eligible for VR early!!!!
We need more students who are individual with a disability, for purposes of section 504 applying to VR
Assist students and families in the eligibility process
Help families to be ready for services and encourage students to become eligible for VR services
Provide documentation to VR for students who are receiving group services, that the students receiving services meet the definition of a “student” under WIOA
Provide VR with a copy of the psychological report with signatures
We Need District’s Help

19. How to Increase Collaboration Conversation

20. Contact Alison Lowenthal Transition Coordinator
Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Contact