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.
Audience Answers
On these pages discover more in-depth discussion of School-based Preparatory Experiences
and find the answers to your questions. Check out the one that fits
your profile:
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/
short description
Division on Career Development and Transition - Council for Exceptional
Children http://www.dcdt.org/
short description
References
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This
document was developed by the National Collaborative
on Workforce and Disability for Youth, funded by a grant
from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability
Employment Policy (Grant Number E-9-4-1-0070). The opinions
expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position
or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does
mention of tradenames, commercial products, or organizations
imply the endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Permission to use, copy,
and distribute this publication, in whole or in part,
for non-commercial use and without fee, is hereby granted,
provided that appropriate credit to NCWD/Youth and the
support of federal funds from the Office of Disability
Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor is
included in all copies.
This
document was developed by the National Collaborative
on Workforce and Disability for Youth, funded by a grant
from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability
Employment Policy (Grant Number E-9-4-1-0070). The opinions
expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position
or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does
mention of tradenames, commercial products, or organizations
imply the endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.