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Transition Education and Career Exploration

• An Introduction
• The Path to Independence — A Summary and Rationale

Transition Education and Career Exploration, based on the New Jersey Department of Education core curriculum standards, is designed to expose students to skills necessary to become successful in a continuing education environment that is less structured than a traditional high school classroom. These skills are essential for continuing career development in the workforce as well as in a college, vocational, or technical school.

The Calais Transition Education program continues to grow in scope and content.  The members of the Transition Education team work together to identify and plan activities for the program. Work experiences and evaluation criteria are prepared for each activity.  Transition Education teachers work in coordination with Technology, Art, Music, Math, Science, and Language Arts teachers in providing high school students with the important skills needed for Career Awareness, Preparation and Employment.

Career Education and Awareness
Each high school student completes an interest inventory and self-assessment. Personal interests and abilities are discussed with teachers, counselors, and the learning consultant.  Based on the results of the interest inventory, students research career opportunities and analyze factors important for career planning.  As students explore various career clusters through discussion and research, portfolio planning begins.

Transition Education and Career Exploration Program Details
Each student is provided with an individual plan as they prepare to plan for post secondary education, vocational education, or employment.  Each student requires different supports in order to move from high school to post-high school activities on the path to realization of his/her dreams for the future.

In addition to in-house opportunities at the School, special visits to corporations and businesses; a firm relationship with the construction trades; job shadowing and internships; and guest speakers all play a role in career exploration and, in some instances, placement.

Areas for Transition Planning:

Consumer Education:

• Math (budgeting, money management skills, investments);
• Reading/ Language Arts;
• Writing  (filing out forms, letter writing, resumes);
• Computer skills;
• Public speaking.

Career Exploration:

• Career assessment;
• Community based job exploration;
• Shared time at vocational school;
• In school work experiences;
• Paid work experiences;
• Apprenticeships.

Independent Living Skills:

• Community resource training (banks, post office, shopping);
• Residential living skills;
• Transportation;
• Social relationships;
• Self determination;
• Advocacy and Assertiveness skills;
• Health and Safety.

Adult Service Linkages:

• DVR (Div. of Vocational Rehabilitation);
• DDD (Div. of Developmental Disabilities);
• Social Security and Medicaid;
• Centers for Independent Living;
• Colleges/Universities;
• Vocational schools;
• Trade schools.

Employability skills

All students need to achieve the skills necessary to obtain and retain a job in the chosen career. Social skills are integrated throughout the academic and counseling programs.  These skills are critical for success at school, home, work, and in the community.

• Communication skills include interpersonal skills, anger management, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills;
• Personal appearance;
• Punctuality;
• Time management;
• Dependability;
• Organizational skills;
• Goal setting;
• Employment application skills resume writing and interviewing skills;
• Teamwork;
• Resource allocation;
• Leadership skills.

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The Path to Independence — A Summary and Rationale

The integration of Transition Education and Career Exploration enhances the goals of both areas.  By providing essential life-skills development, social skills training, and social and emotional support, students are assessed on their ability to master the skills in all of these areas.

Success in this program relies on Differentiation and Integration. The basic essentials involve knowing how your students learn, and how to best present your lessons.  We know that all students learn through the implementation of specific modalities.  Lecturing, or students reading aloud or quietly, definitely does not insure that all students comprehend the concepts presented.  Knowing how your individual student learns and teaching to those strengths accomplishes two objectives:

1. Students are more apt to focus on the learning aspect and better understand the concepts presented;
2.  Greater focus on the academic exercise will reduce disruptive behavior due to frustration.

Integration of academic concepts across all areas, including music, physical education, art, and world language, reinforces the application of the concepts presented.  Students are more likely to include those applications as part of their learning process and critical thinking skills development.  Integration requires close communication between classroom and counseling professionals.   

Counseling support is also essential to help students assimilate the paradigm process for differentiation and integration.  Counselors can provide close support by addressing associated issues in group and individual counseling sessions.  Working with the classroom professionals, the counselors function as the liaison between the student and teacher.  The benefit to the counselors and teachers will be the opportunity to focus on the threats and opportunities to individual learning.   

Program Details:
The Transition Education – Career Exploration Program includes social skills training throughout all activities. These activities include:

A)  Consumer Education:
            a.  Related mathematics;
            b.  Related language arts;
            c.  Related financial education;
            d.  Career exploration:
                        1.  Interest inventory;
                        2.  Continuing education opportunities.

B)  Basic Skills Development:
            a.  Time-on-task;
            b.  Following directions (sequential instructions);
            c.  Work with others and independently;
            d.  Punctuality and dependability;
            e.  Personal appearance.

C)  Job Sampling:
            a.  Food-related activities:
                        1.  Safety and cleanliness’
                        2.  Time and temperature;
                        3.  Food preparation and hospitality service (limited).           

            b.  Office-related activities:
                        1.  Mailroom/distribution;
                        2.  Non-confidential filing;
                        3.  Reception/phone skills activities;
                        4.  Office computer activities;
                        5.  General office practices.

            c.  Building maintenance:
                        1.  General housekeeping;
                        2.  Outdoor/indoor detailing;

            d.  Media/library practices:
                        1.  Classroom and general school media support service;
                        2.  Book and media material cataloguing.

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