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Employment

Individuals with disabilities are employable. NC’s Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD), formerly known as Voc Rehab, is an important partner in the process of helping youth with career exploration, employment readiness skills, and job placement.

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Acronym Key: IEP = Individualized Education Program | Pre ETS = Pre Employment Transition Services | EIPD = Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities

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Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. Your selections from all categories will appear in “My Action Plan.” To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.”

Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.” To see your Action Plan, click on the “View My Action Plan” button to the right or near the bottom of the page.

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Browse all recommended action items below or use these filters to narrow down results by category or age.

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28 results found

Developing skills for the workplace
Complete Work Together NC’s Employment Toolkit, which covers a variety of important work readiness tasks.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 and ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD, Adult Service providers

Developing skills for the workplace
Learn to use time management strategies at home and in school (i.e., checklists, calendar, planner).

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, Family

Developing skills for the workplace
Take on more chores at home.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family

Developing skills for the workplace
Review work readiness skill checklists and target skills in need of further development.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family, School/IEP Team

Developing skills for the workplace
Consider taking community based classes to expand hard and soft skills and explore interests (i.e., Adult Basic Ed programs at community colleges, programs at Parks & Rec or local library, toastmasters, webinars).

Approximate age: 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family

Developing skills for the workplace
Consider higher education options (i.e., community college, University, trade school, adult basic education programs, certificate programs).

Approximate age: Start at 14 and ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family, School/IEP Team

Developing skills for the workplace
Learn about workplace rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act . Refer to the Self Advocacy action plan to further develop self advocacy skills.

Approximate age: Start at 14 and ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Begin exploration of personal learning styles and necessary accommodations/supports to be successful in a work setting.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Review how course of study pathways can support the student’s employment options (i.e., certificate versus, occupational course of study and future ready diploma pathway).

Approximate age: 13 (Middle School) and ongoing

Who can help: School Personnel/IEP Team

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Identify career interests and skills, complete interest and career inventories, and identify education or training requirements for careers.

Approximate age: Starting in middle school and ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Learn about different types of work and determine the best fit: self employment, customized employment, or traditional employment.

Approximate age: Starting in middle school and ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Explore assistive technology & communication tools that can increase employment opportunities.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Explore apprenticeship and/or internship options.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Consider job shadowing or informational interviewing.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Pre-Employment Transition Services Programs

Gaining volunteer or work experience
Consider summer employment or volunteer experience.

Approximate age: High school

Who can help: Individual and family

Accessing Resources
Explore Pre Employment Transition Service (Pre-ETS) Programs offered locally.

Approximate age: Age 14-21

Who can help: Individual, family, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Accessing Resources
Learn about social security programs such as the Ticket to Work and Benefits Counseling and policies such as Work Incentives (i.e., Student Earned Income Exclusion).

Approximate age: Benefits counseling services are available starting at age 14

Who can help: Individual and family, EIPD

Accessing Resources
Set up a meeting with a benefits counselor.

Approximate age: Benefits counseling services are available starting at age 14

Who can help: Individual and family, Community Agency (i.e., EIPD, Service Source)

Accessing Resources
Explore transportation options for getting to work.

Approximate age: Age 15

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, and Family

Accessing Resources
Seek out an evaluation for services by NC EIPD *Note: Evaluation for EIPD adult services could risk in school EIPD services if student is deemed ineligible for “competitive integrated employment”.

Approximate age: Age 16

Who can help: Individual and family

Accessing Resources
Request meeting with an EIPD Counselor, including inviting them to IEP meetings.

Approximate age: Age 16

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Accessing Resources
Explore Work Together NC’s employment service library and contact service agencies of interest.

Approximate age: Starting at age 16 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, family, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Accessing Resources
Determine eligibility for SSI, and apply, if desired. Learn about asset limits (the impact of work income on benefits). See the adult services action plan for more details.

Approximate age: Start the application at 17.5

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD or other benefits counseling agency (i.e., Service Source)

Finding a job
Set short and long term employment goals based on student’s strengths and interests.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Finding a job
Participate in mock interviews and job fairs.

Approximate age: Starting at age 14 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, Pre-Employment Transition Services Programs, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Finding a job
Begin a resume and update it as needed.

Approximate age: Starting at age 16 & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, School/IEP Team, EIPD

Finding a job
Match career interests/skills with vocational course work as well as school and community-based work experiences (called “work-based learning”).

Approximate age: High school

Who can help: Individual, School transition facilitator/IEP Team

Finding a job
Apply for jobs. Check out Work Together NC’s Alliance of IDD Inclusive Employers!

Approximate age: High school

Who can help: Individual/Family, Pre-Employment Transition Services Programs, EIPD

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Disclaimer: These action plans are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be comprehensive, and should not be taken as legal advice. Services and programs mentioned may vary by county. Please consult with professionals with expertise in this topic area for guidance specific to you, your family or student/client’s situation. The “approximate age” listed with each item is a general recommendation for when to get started on an action item; however, everyone has a different timeline and for many of the items, it’s never too late to take action! Have a suggested correction or addition to this checklist? Email worktogethernc@med.unc.edu.

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