LEARNING JOB SKILLS THROUGH SPECIALIZED

CURRICULUMAngelica Downey, M.Ed.

FAU Academy for Community Inclusion

Agenda

■ Program Details

■ Employment Curriculum

■ Internship Program

■ Outcomes

■ Questions

FAU Academy for Community Inclusion

■ Post-secondary program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

FAU Academy for Community Inclusion

Goal: To increase overall independence in employment, self-determination, and independent living skills

How?

■ Specialized coursework in employment, self-determination, and independent living skills

■ Full inclusion in the college experience

■ Internship program

■ Mentorship program

Supported Employment Certificate

■ Prerequisite: Career Exploration

– First semester

– Course Objectives include:

■ Defining strengths and needs

■ Determining what skills to improve on for employment

■ Research career interests based on skill sets

■ Create a work portfolio

■ Identify a career to pursue

Employment Courses

■ Professional Career Development

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Research specific responsibilities that are required for career choice

– Interview a person in desired career

– Create a career plan using the mapping strategy

■ Employability Skills

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Develop and write a resume

– Complete a job application

– Identify and describe the characteristics an employer seeks in a prospective employee

– Identify the elements of succeeding on the job and job retention strategies

Employment Courses

■ Workplace Relationships

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Compare different positions in the workplace and how interaction may differ

– Identify strategies to cope with conflict between coworkers and accepting criticism in the work place.

– Demonstrate how to make a positive impression on clientele

■ Getting Around the Community:

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Identify directions and pedestrian safety rules and skills

– Learn to how to use a bus/train schedule to plan trip

– Learn how to find information about desire locations

Employment Courses

■ Business Technology for Community Living

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Create a sum sheet and graph in excel

– Scan documents, fax documents, make copies, print document in multiple formats

– Answer the phone in a professional manner

– How to make a PowerPoint presentation for a business related issue

■ Professional Portfolio

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Document and showcase specific skill area achievements

– Organize portfolio into a professional presentation using a digital portfolio program

– Demonstrate career readiness

– Write cover letters

– Appropriate attire and hygiene expected on the interview or employment site

Employment Courses

■ Career Seminar

■ Objectives/Activities:

– “Job Shadowing”

– Observe skills that are required for the student’s specific career field of interest

– Demonstrate appropriate social interactions with peers and staff

– Acquire a skill set in a specific career field

■ Career Internship

■ Objectives/Activities:

– Full time internship in working towards competitive paid employment

– Deal effectively with work related stress and changes to their routine

– Display honesty towards others in the workplace, work initiative, and motivation

– Establish and utilize a work schedule independently

Curriculum GridSupported Employment (20 Credits)

SLS 1305: Professional Career

Development

SLS 1350:Employability Skills

SLS 1354: Workplace Relationships

SLS 1266: Getting around in the Community

SLS 1392: Business Technology for Community Living

SLS 2340: Professional Portfolio

SLS 2930: Career Seminar

SLS 2943 Career Internship

Electives (2 classes; 1 must be outside the Academy)

Internship

component

Internship

component

At least two employment courses

are offered per semester giving

students the opportunity to have

an internship component every

semester.

Internship Program

■ Start small and on campus, move to larger responsibilities and off campus

■ Based on student’s career interests and skills

■ During the first semester on campus, students complete a work observation for staff to observe soft skills

– Helps with placement of their first internship

Support

■ Job Coaches

■ Supervisors

■ Employment Coordinator

Outcomes- Inaugural group

■ 7 out of the 8 students from the inaugural group completed their second internships off campus this semester

■ 4 out of the 8 students from the inaugural group were in paid internships this semester

■ 4 out of the 8 students from the inaugural group will be completing the problem in the fall with their final internship.

Outcomes

■ Second group

– 11 students completed their first internship on-campus this semester, 1 student completed their first internship off-campus

– Internship placements consisted of: Dining Hall, Library, Lifelong Learning Society, College of Education Office, Student Services Office, Faculty Suite, El Sol Organic Garden

Resources, Strategies, Evidence-Based■ Used various resources to create the supported employment certificate curriculum:

– Grigal, M., & Hart, D. (2010). Think college: Postsecondary education options for students with intellectual disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

– Strieker, T., Sloan, J., Stern, H., & Wade, K. (2010). Designing inclusive educational programs in higher education: Standards, assessment & evaluation. Lexington, KY: Kennesaw State University.

– Rosenberg, H., Brady, M.P. (2006). Job observation and behavior scale: Opportunity for self-determination. Dale, IL: Stoelting Co.

– Wolffe, K. (2012). Career exploration and vocational selection. In Career counseling for people with disabilities (Second ed., pp. 47-63). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

■ Modeled the internship program based on the student teaching process

– Small to large

– General to Specific

– Time commitment

■ Courses were created using UDL

– Multiple formats

– Accessible for all learners

Contact

Angelica Downey, M.Ed.

Curriculum and Training Specialist

downeya@fau.edu

561-799-8383