Why High School/High Tech?
Technology permeates every level of our ever changing, advancing society.
Top growth careers in the world today as noted by the Department of Labor’s
Occupational Handbook, all rely on some degree of math, science and technology skills.
This comprehensive definition will allow High School/High Tech program operators
to assist students in acquiring a wide range of internship and job shadowing opportunities,
thereby not limiting work experiences to those solely within the computer and electronics
fields (the more common and narrower public conception of technology). At the same
time, varied opportunities and practicum will allow students to continually reinforce
the soft skills that are certainly needed to compete in our technologically changing
and continually advancing society. But, the question still remains, “What
are the technology jobs of the future?”
By 2006, high-tech employment is projected to account for
over 15 percent of total employment. Employment in this
category includes the following areas: computer and data
processing services, motor vehicles and equipment manufacturing,
management and public relations services, engineering and
architectural services, and electronic components and accessories
manufacturing. As you can see, technology related preparatory
experiences will become increasingly important for all youth
but, for youth with disabilities, such efforts are critically
important to improve educational and post school outcomes.
 Design
Features for Effective Youth Services
ODEP is committed to ensuring that its youth-related policy
initiatives reflect the latest in evidence-based research.
Research has identified several
operating principles as vital to effective transition
programs for all youth. Based upon these operating principles,
ODEP is integrating the following four design features into
its youth-related policy initiatives:
- Preparatory
experiences which include career interest and vocational
assessments, information about careers including education
and entry requirements, income potential, and work-readiness
skills including computer skills.
- Connecting
activities which involve collaborating with other
institutions (e.g. sponsoring schools, postsecondary institutions,
local workforce development organizations) to provide
necessary support services for youth and to enrich program
content. This includes insuring academic tutoring is provided
if necessary; providing exposure to supportive peer and
adult mentors; and helping youth explore self-sufficiency
issues like assistive technology, transportation, benefits
planning, and health maintenance.
- Work-based
learning which include site visits, job shadowing,
internships, entrepreneurial ventures, and/or actual paid
employment activities building up to on-the-job experiences.
Such experiences are an essential component to promoting
informed job choices.
- Leadership
development which include providing structured relationships
with adults in both informal/formal and individual/group
mentoring situations, and exposing every youth to personal
leadership skills such as self-advocacy and self-determination,
as well as activities that build self-esteem, interpersonal
skills, and teaming.
Youth With Disabilities
While some youth with disabilities have attained successful careers after receiving
well-delivered special education transition services that is not the norm. Youth
with disabilities still face some of the poorest post school outcomes. Consider
the following facts:
- Special education students are more than twice as likely as their peers in
general education to drop out of high school;
- Youth with disabilities are half as likely as their peers without disabilities
to participate in postsecondary education;
- Current special education students can expect to face much higher adult unemployment
rates than their peers without disabilities;
- The adjudication rate of youth with disabilities is four times higher than
for youth without disabilities;
- Young adults with disabilities are three times likelier to live in poverty
as adults than their peers without disabilities;
- For youth with significant disabilities the picture is even more grim: less
than one out of 10 will attain integrated employment; five out of 10 will experience
indefinitely long waits for post-school employment services; and most of these
individuals will earn less than $2.40 per hour in sheltered workshop settings.
Read more about HS/HT
The High School/High Tech Program (HS/HT), sponsored by
the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment
Policy, provides opportunity for students with disabilities
to explore careers in science, mathematics and technology.
You can download
the HS/HT brochure
in PDF  or
in MS Word  .
You can also read the brochure in Spanish as a PDF or in Spanish as a MS Word document .
HS/HT Near You
 Click
here to find, start, or expand a HS/HT program near you!
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