Friday, May 21, 2010

Linking Educational Experiences with Careers

A survey commissioned by the National Organization on Disability found that only 29% of working aged people with disabilties are employed full or part time. In comparison, 79% of those who do not have disabilities are working. Of the people with disabilities who are not currently working, 72% report they would like to be working. Many of our youth are leaving high school without the skills and supports they need to work in the community. It is imperative that students with have access to work-based learning before they graduate to prepare them for employment in the community. There are two acts that address this need: the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA-PL 103-239) passed by Congress in 1994 and the The Individuals with Disabilties Education Act of 1990 (PL 94-142), revised in 1997 (PL 105-17). Both of these acts assist students to transition to further education and work. However, the STWOA was designed for all students, regardless of abilty.

The STWOA was designed to increase work-based and school-based learning opportunities for all students. The act creates a national framework to assist states and communities create comprehensive systems to helap all students apply classroom learning to high-wage, high-skill jobs or further education, and advocates work-based learning and college preparation. States and communities and developing programs to meet the transition needs of all students. Colleges are also offering a wide variety of work-based learning options for students.

What is a Work-based learning experience?

"A work-based learning experience is any activity that gives a person an opportunity to witness or participate in typical tasks that take place in an employment setting" (http://www.thefreelibrary.com)

Examples of work-based learning:

Job Shadowing-this involves visiting a place of employment and observing employee during their typical duties of a job the student is interested in. This allows them to learn the specific duties required and the working enviroment of a specific job and specific workplace. This experience usually lasts from an hour or two to a full day of more, depending on student interest and the employer

Internship-this is an intense work experience for a specific time period. This enables students to actually perform duties involved in a position. The participant (student) develops skills and performs job functions under close supervision. Some programs offer academic credit for participation in internships.

Cooperative Education-these programs extend the classroom experienc to an employment environment. These are usually offered as part of a specific degree program. These are sometimes paid positions and students typically earn academic credits. An example of this would be a student working as a trainee in a software development company as part of a cooperative education experience in computer science.

Service Learning-in this experience, students gain job skills in community service in non-paid, volunteer service learning experiences. The job skills they gain often help students in obtaining full-time paid employment. An example of service learning would be a student seeking employment developing and maintaining Web pafes could gain experience by volunteering to develop a web page for a place of worship.

Benefits of Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning Experiences assist students to:

*Clarify academic and career interests

*Gain academic credit

*Select future courses of study

*Pay for a college education

*Develop skills in relating to supervisors and co-workers

*Test Skills in a job setting

*Build a resume

*Develop a network of potential employers

*Develop relationships with people who can be used as references when applying for jobs

*Students with disabilities gain valuable practice in disclosing their disability and requesting appropriate accommodations


Benefits for employers include

*gaining practice in working with an individual to create a work environment that maximizes productivity and minimizes the impact of the disability

*Confronting and overcoming fears regarding hiring employees with a disability


Full employment of people with disabilities can save billions of public dollars that are now used to support unemployed people with disabilities (Profit from Our Experience, 1995).

Evidence supports the idea that our nations schools are doing a much better job of preparing students for post-secondary education and training than in preparing students for careers. Work-Based learning enables students to link what they learn in school with the work world and gives them the skills and connections they need to gain employment.




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