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Course 03

Engaging Employers and Others to Support Pre-Employment Transition Services Efforts

Module 3.1: The Employment of People with Disabilities via Business Services

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

  • List communication strategies necessary to build trust and credibility with employers
  • Identify which businesses employ the most people
  • Identify the top concerns of businesses today
  • Identify the intent of each business service provided by VR Business Service teams
  • Identify the biggest barrier to employment for people with disabilities
  • Identify common misconceptions about the employment of people with disabilities and counter them with facts
  • Locate and share notable disability awareness campaigns with employers
  • Locate and share accommodation information with employers
  • Locate and share financial incentive information with employers
  • Recognize the salient aspects of Customized Employment
  • Recognize the salient aspects of Integrated Competitive Employment
  • List the components of an evidence-based counseling strategy for employment with youth with disabilities and employers.

Module 3.2 Business Services Case Study

Optional Skill Enhancement Exercises

SEE Employer Engagement

Objective of Exercise

To increase the confidence and competence of VR professionals in their work with employers by providing them opportunities to practice applying their knowledge and skills.

Confidence Measurement

Participants will rate their confidence in engaging with employers before and after the exercise.

Competency Measurement

Participants will be observed for the following demonstrations of competency:

  • Display of positive regard, respect, and authenticity to build rapport with the employer.
  • Participant demonstrated clarity in explaining business services and their benefits to the employer.
  • Demonstration of clarity in explaining the vision and mission of Pre-Employment Transition Services.
  • Demonstration of ability to use open-ended questions, clarification, & summarization to help the employer identify 1) unmet business needs and 2) concerns regarding the employment of PWD, and 3) questions regarding business services and benefits.
  • Display of empathy in responding to the employer's concerns and presented facts to counter misconceptions.
  • Display of responsiveness by specifying what s/he would do and when to respond to the employer's request for further information.

© 2023 - Accessible Innovative & Relevant Training for VR Counselors.

This project is funded through a grant award from the US Rehabilitation Services Administration in Innovative Training (H263C190013). It was awarded to the WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION, the faculty of the West Virginia University Department of Counseling and Learning Sciences, Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program; Reed College of Media; the University of West Georgia; and UWGLive. All materials are products of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the US Department of Education and no official endorsement should be inferred.