School-based preparatory experiences
are those core activities that help youth
become prepared for a successful future in
careers or postsecondary education institutions.
They include the core activities of career
assessments (formal and informal), introduces
the concept of opportunity awareness (guest
speakers, informational interviews, research-based
activities, community mapping, exposures to
post secondary education) and work-readiness
skills (soft-skills development, computer
competency and job search skills).
Getting It Right
Helping youth make informed choices about
what they want to do as adults is the root
of why school-based preparatory experiences are so essential.
Assisting youth to negotiate the transition
from school to employment and further education
means, in part, preparing them to adjust to
the workplace and the performance of work.
In a major sense, what happens during the
preparatory (work-readiness) stage of career
development can significantly affect the transition
to employment of the young person. A stable,
smooth, and supportive transition to employment
can reduce the problems of unemployment and
productivity that sometimes plague young workers,
particularly those with disabilities.
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Someone is "work-ready" when they
can make the educational and vocational decisions
and perform the kinds of educational and vocational
tasks (behaviors) that are expected by schools
and employers (Sarkees-Wircenski & Scott,
1995). Individuals differ in their readiness
to deal with career development tasks at the
"expected" or "appointed"
time. Some youth are more aware than others
of the work-related decisions that must be
made at various points in their lives, and
are therefore, better equipped to enter and
participate in the world of work. Research
indicates that youth with disabilities tend
to lag behind their peers in readiness for
the career development process (Faas, D'Alonzo
& Stile, 1990). Family involvement in
skill development has been shown to positively
contribute to the development of work-readiness
skills for youth with and without disabilities
(Mooney, 1998; Way & Rossmann, 1996).
13
Basic Skills and Workplace
Knowledge and Competencies
What
do youth need to know
and be able to do to be
considered "work-ready"?
A number of national taxonomies
and research studies looked
at this issue and identified
the following skills and
competencies which young
people needed to know
in order to succeed in
the working world.
Identifying, organizing,
planning and allocating
benefits and resources;
Working with others
on teams, teaching others,
exercising leadership,
negotiating and influencing
others, and working
with diverse groups
of individuals;
Acquiring, organizing,
interpreting, evaluating
and communicating information;
Understanding complex
interrelationships and
distinguishing trends,
predicting impacts,
as well as monitoring
and correcting performance;
Working with a variety
of systems and technologies
and choosing the appropriate
tool for the task;
Developing higher-order
thinking skills such
as creative, innovative
thinking, critical thinking,
problem solving, goal-setting
and decision-making
skills;
Developing self-knowledge,
self-determination and
self-advocacy skills;
Developing self-discipline,
self-management skills,
and the ability to work
without supervision;
Strengthening basic
academic skills such
as reading, math, writing
and oral communications
skills;
Being self-confident,
willing to learn new
tasks, and maintaining
a positive attitude
toward work;
Developing effective
skills and traits such
as dependability/responsibility,
conscientiousness, punctuality,
efficiency, flexibility,
honesty, integrity,
being well-mannered,
cooperative, and using
appropriate dress and
good grooming;
Developing leadership
skills to guide and
support others and seek
guidance and support
from others to pursue
goals;
Exercising rights
and responsibilities.
Assessment
A number of sources (Clark, 1999; Clark
& Patton, 1997; National Council on Disabilities,
2000; Schelly, Kothe & Sample, 1995) identify
assessment as an integral component of a successful
post-secondary transition program for students
with disabilities.
Formal and informal career assessments should
be conducted periodically to:
determine a young person's evolving levels
of functioning in reference to these critical
work-readiness areas;
assist in identifying individual characteristics,
education, and training needs; and
plan appropriate opportunity awareness
activities to enhance current knowledge
and skills.
Not only can career assessment provide valuable
information about work-readiness skills, it
can also provide insight into basic skills
levels, vocational interests, vocational aptitudes
and abilities, and learning styles. Effective
transition plans and services often depend
on reliable and useful assessment data.
Career assessment is important for all youth
transitioning to adult roles, but it is particularly
important for youth with disabilities. Many
youth with disabilities experience a variety
of difficulties handling the realities of
work demands, and career assessment offers
them the opportunity to discover their career,
transition, and pinpoint to their vocational
and educational strengths. Both the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and
the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA)
identify career assessment as integral to
assisting youth to make informed choices and
set realistic goals for their successful transitioning
to adulthood (Leconte & Neubert, 1997).
Seven
Major Uses of Informal and Formal
Career Assessment Data Identified
by Neubert (1985) and Leconte
(1986)
Determination
of career development:
To find out where the student
stands in terms of: career
awareness, orientation, exploration,
preparation, placement, or
growth/maintenance;
Measurement:
To identify abilities, interests,
capabilities, strengths, needs,
potentials, and behaviors
within the areas of personal/social,
functional/academic, community/independent,
employment and employability
areas;
Prediction:
To match an individual's interests
and abilities with appropriate
training, community employment,
or postsecondary training;
Prescription:
To identify strengths and
needs, and to recommend types
of adaptive techniques and/or
remedial strategies that will
lead to improved career preparation
and development;
Exploration:
To "try out" different
work-related tasks or activities
and to determine how interests
match abilities for work-based
experiences, community jobs,
postsecondary, or other adult
activities;
Intervention:
To implement the techniques
or remedial strategies that
will help a student explore
career or work options;
Advocacy:
To develop a career profile
to help students, their families,
and others identify concrete
ways to assist students in
achieving their goals.
Resources
High School/High Tech (HS/HT) Program
Manual http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/hsht_manual.html
Provides opportunity for students with disabilities
to explore careers in science, mathematics
and technology. The HS-HT program manual includes
a chapter on School-based Preparatory Experiences with
examples, sample forms and resources.
National Center on Secondary Education
and Transition (NCSET) http://www.ncset.org/
National resources, technical assistance,
and information related to secondary education
and transition for youth with disabilities.
Job Accommodations Network http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/
Information on job accommodations, modifications,
and assistive technology for various disabilities.
Jobs for the Future - Creating Strategies
for Educational and Economic Opportunity http://www.jff.org/jff/
Division on Career Development and
Transition - Council for Exceptional Children http://www.dcdt.org/
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