PACER Center
952-838-9000
Champions for Children with Disabilities
Top Secret Job Skills: Declassified is an animated, interactive CD produced by PACER to help transition-age teens, with and without disabilities, learn interpersonal skills that are needed to be successful in the interview and on the job
TATRA Navigation Menu
Preparing for Employment
To successfully transition to adulthood, all youth should be exposed to a range of work-based exploration experiences such as site visits, community service, job shadowing, and paid and unpaid internships. Unfortunately, it is estimated that only one-third of young people with disabilities who need job training receive it.
To adequately prepare youth for real-world employment, career and technical education should be based on state or industry standards, and youth should be taught using varied learning strategies that are appropriate to each individual.
In order to help youth make informed choices, youth should undergo a career assessment that includes, but is not limited to, interest inventories, and formal and informal vocational assessments. They should also be exposed to job training and career opportunities that provide a living wage.
Parents also play an important role in providing invaluable career guidance and support to young adults with and without disabilities. Parents help teenagers prepare for adult work by providing positive adult models to follow; exposure to careers and occupations; clear expectations -- neither too high nor too low; contacts and networks in the community; and values and attitudes such as discipline, concentration, and a willingness to take on challenges.
Finding a job may seem like a daunting task for someone with a disability. People with disabilities are often uncertain as to what kinds of jobs are available to them and whether they are qualified to do those jobs. In fact, it is common for persons with disabilities to underestimate their own skills and abilities when looking for a job. While it is natural to have fears about entering the workforce, remember this: no matter what your disability, there is a job out there for you. It may take more time and effort to find that job, but it can be done!
Vocational Service Agencies
- State Rehabilitation Services
This agency offers comprehensive vocational services to persons with disabilities. Services can include job training and placement, assistance with college tuition, and assistance with obtaining appropriate assistive technology. - State Services for the Blind
This agency provides vocational services to individuals with substantial visual impairments. The services offered by SSB are very similar to those offered by Rehabilitation Services.
Preparing for Employment Links:
Other Resources
- Youth and Disability Disclosure: The Role of Families and Advocates
- The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities
- Partners in Employment (online self-study course to help people with developmental disabilities prepare for meaningful jobs)
- "Q & A on Customized Employment: Addressing Parental Concerns", a June 2004 fact sheet from Virginia Commonwealth University that answers questions asked by parents of individuals with significant disabilities who are concerned about whether customized employment options - working in the community for competitive pay rather than in a sheltered workshop setting - are appropriate for their son or daughter.
- Preparing for an International Career: Pathways for People with Disabilities, a new publication from Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), highlighting a range of international occupations and job prospects, tips on preparing for an international career, insights from role models with disabilities, and resources on international exchange and fellowship programs
- Frequently Asked Questions on Career Guidance and Exploration from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
- "Supporting Community Employment", a fact sheet for families and service providers from the RRTC on Workplace Supports.
- U.S. Dept. of Labor Web site aimed at increasing awareness of Federal and State rules concerning young workers
- Employment tips from the National Coalition for Students with Disabilities
- Career Voyages
- Essential Elements of an Effective Job Search, suggestions from the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
- Flexible Funding for Job Success: A publication from the Institute for Community Inclusion that provides ideas for how consumers control how their agency dollars are spent with "flexible" or "consumer-directed" funding.
- Work-Based Learning - Youth and Family Section
- Your Child's Career, a Web site for parents
- National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
- Technical Assistance Guide: Helping Students with Cognitive Disabilities Find & Keep a Job, from the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
- NICHCY Guide, Vocational Assessment: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Out of Print)
- More Than Just a Job: Person-Centered Career Planning, from the Institute On Community Inclusion, Boston
- Starting With Me: A Guide to Person-Centered Planning for Job Seekers, from the Institute On Community Inclusion, Boston
- Minnesota Careers Web site
- Quality Employment Services: Will You Know It When You See It?, from the Institute On Community Inclusion, Boston
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
