Career Development Services are designed to assist individuals sponsored by various County Boards of DD to experience, explore, and make informed decisions about community employment and their preferences and concerns regarding employment. Participants of Career Development Services have access to any of the services listed here when they and their teams wish to consider or learn more about community employment. Many of the individuals participating in Career Development Services are also enrolled in our comprehensive Work Adjustment Services program, however it is not necessary to be enrolled in Work Adjustment in order to take advantage of Career Development Services. The flexible and individual nature of these services has been designed to support each individual's decision to explore and experience their vocational potential.

The following services are offered under Career Development:

• Work Experience Individuals work in community business or industry settings with the support of a job coach for 20 hours over a period of one to two weeks. The individual is paid minimum wage for the hours they work, and the experience is used to help individuals decide if they feel confident, with support, in further exploring the possibility of working in the community on a long term basis.
• Career Education Classroom instruction combined with community field trips are used to inform interested individuals about the opportunities in the world of work; the expectations employers will have of them; as well as interviewing skill development. This class is designed for individuals who have not worked in the community, yet may be interested in the idea but are still unsure of what this means.
• Benefits Analysis and Job Exploration When individuals and their teams are sure that they desire employment, staff works with them to explore different job options and the strengths the individual brings to employment. Short-term job try-outs and job shadowing are used to determine possible employment options for each individual. Issues regarding the individual's Social Security benefits, transportation options, and environmental needs are all taken into consideration in the exploration process. When several solid employment options have been identified, a referral for placement services can be made for job development for long-term employment. The same staff that assisted the individual and his/her team in identifying possible job options provides job development and placement assistance. The intent is to help the individual to identify the best possible job options that meet his/her stated desires and needs.

The Rehabilitation Services Commission currently funds Job development services and time limited job supports, with longer-term job supports funded by the County Boards of DD. This partnership of funding is designed to provide comprehensive and seamless services to the individual transitioning into community employment.