Disability Employment: Making Transitions

Whether transitioning into the workforce for the first time or making a career change, finding jobs for people with disabilities may be a challenge.  Caregivers and advocates see firsthand, for example, the difficulty people with learning disabilities face in trying to find employment that is both fulfilling and congruent with ability.  The most effective way to make this transition is to first gauge the ability, talent, and interests of the individual.  This personal assessment must then be used to compare real world employment options to confidently make career decisions.

Disability Employment Evaluation

Identifying the interests and abilities of an individual is crucial in determining the field of employment to pursue.  The Career Evaluation DVD has been a popular disability product; this resource is available in Closed Captioned format and helps individuals relate occupational tasks and work environments to their own unique values.  Education level, skill set, personal values, and lifestyle are all explored in the context of employment opportunities to mesh the attributes of an individual with an ideal area of work.

Disability Job Advancement

Many persons with disabilities are currently employed and may be happy with the environments in which they work.  Still, these individuals may need assistance in evaluating how to progress as a professional in their field.  The Career Advancement Strategies and Tools textbook will serve as a guide for these individuals to better identify their desires and to construct actionable steps towards achieving employment that is more satisfying.

Whether employed or seeking employment, career management is a necessary element for persons with disabilities, caregivers, and advocates to consider when seeking and evaluating career opportunities.  Active career management can not only help with disability employment, but it can also aid in job retention.  As studies like the Unnecessary Boundaries report produced by TeleWork Exchange indicate, it is the lack of disability job retention that has driven unemployment to such high levels in recent years.