"Work experience should ideally be a meaningful reflection of the individual student's abilities and interests.

Success in getting and keeping a job is a complex accomplishment for any individual. Factors which affect this success, such as physical stamina, social  interaction, personal hygiene, motivation and task oriented behavior are interrelated and should be developed over a series of years. These behaviors and attitudes can be reinforced and  integrated into all areas of the curriculum and in all grades."

~from British Columbia Ministry of Education

"An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life."  -Author Unknown

Introduction to Work and Why People Work

Web Sites on Vocational Skills and Employment

• What is School-to-Work?
• Providing Community and Work Experience- Working with students with intellectual disabilities, BC Resource Guide for Teachers.
• Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities- Taxonomy of Transition Programming.
• Helping Students with Cognitive Disabilities Find and Keep a Job- A publication of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
• TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MANUAL:Title I of the ADA
• Handbook for Implementing a Comprehensive Work-Based Learning Program According to the Fair Labor Standards Act from National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)
• Job Accomodations Network - Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Asperger Syndrome
• Vocational Curriculum Resources
• Life Skills For Vocational Success- When one considers all of the skills that go into maintaining a job, it becomes clear that life skills are as important as job skills. Prior to going to work, a person must figure out what to wear, wash up, figure out what she is going to eat at breakfast and lunch, and make sure she has transportation to get to work on time. Once at work, she needs to interact appropriately with her co-workers and supervisor, handle problems appropriately, and understand her paycheck. She needs to know how to budget that money wisely, and engage in healthy, enjoyable activities outside of work. Major skill deficits in one or more of these areas could result in loss of job and require further training at a community rehabilitation program. Without the resources to teach a person life skills, further job skill training could be a wasted effort.
• Teaching Networking Skills: Paving a Way to Jobs and Careers (Teaching manual) This curriculum is for trainers working with individuals with limited work experience; its goal is to help those job seekers to become engaged in career and job exploration through Networking. It is designed for professionals working with school-to-work transition-age youth, however it has broad applicability to others with limited work experience. downloadable
• Summary of Predictors Categories, Outcome Areas, Level of Evidence, and Descriptions- Research from National Secondary Technical Assistance Center. ex. Students in the School to Work Transition Program who exited school with high job search skills were more likely to be engaged in post-school employment...

Vocational assessment
Job Shadowing evaluations
Work Sample rating forms
Case Manager report
Employer evaluation
Summer Youth Evaluation
Situational assessments
Interest Inventory
Student self evaluation
Vocational teacher evaluation
Learning Style profile
Social Skills checklist
Academic scores
Behavior checklists Observations

Age Appropriate Transition Assessments