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Bringing a Dose of Reality to Teens' Career Goals

Bringing a Dose of Reality to Teens' Career Goals. presented by Joe Strechay jstrechay@afb.net & Scott Truax struax@afb.net. What is the purpose of this session?. WE need to get everyone on board the realistic career goal TRAIN!

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Bringing a Dose of Reality to Teens' Career Goals

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  1. Bringing a Dose of Reality to Teens' Career Goals presented by Joe Strechay jstrechay@afb.net & Scott Truax struax@afb.net

  2. What is the purpose of this session? • WE need to get everyone on board the realistic career goal TRAIN! • Time to wake our students/clients up and give them a big glass of REALITY

  3. Joe’s Survey • Unrealistic Career Goals for Teens with Visual Impairments • Launched: November 6, 2010 (Nationwide) • Informal Survey

  4. Q1. Who are you? (Professional role or relationship to the teen or teens) • Teacher of the Visually Impaired 64.4% 38 • Orientation & Mobility Instructor 16.9% 10 • Rehabilitation Professional3.4% 2 • Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor 1.7% 1 • Parent / Family Member 0.0% 0 • Other13.6% 8

  5. Q2. Estimate the amount of time that you spend with an individual student/client on exploring and developing career goals with in a year? • One Day5.1%3 • Multiple Days (more than one day, but less than a week) 20.3% 12 • One Week 11.9% 7 • Multiple Weeks (more than one week, but less than a month) 25.4% 15 • One Month 1.7% 1 • More than a Month 35.6% 21

  6. Q3. Estimate what percentage of your students/clients have unrealistic career goals? (career goals that do not match their educational track, skills, or ability level) • 5 percent 13.8% 8 • 10 percent 5.2% 3 • 20 percent 15.5% 9 • 30 percent 27.6% 16 • 40 percent 5.2% 3 • 50 percent or More 32.8% 19 • One non-response

  7. Q4. Provide an example of an unrealistic career goal that a student/client with a visual impairment has expressed? • Professional Athlete (basketball, football, etc..) But, have never participated in competitive sports • D.J. / Rapper / Singer / Actor / Musician (many reasons) • Sportscaster (doesn’t communicate well) • Lawyer (not on an appropriate educational track / lacking scores)

  8. Q4. Provide an example of an unrealistic career goal that a student/client with a visual impairment has expressed? • Gun Smith (never used or held a gun / parents support this idea) • Hunting Guide (never hunted) • Runway Model (no vision) • Blood Splat Analyst (watches too much CSI) • Animal Psychic (What is spot saying? - Not bad!)

  9. Q4. Provide an example of an unrealistic career goal that a student/client with a visual impairment has expressed? • Marine (soldier on the front lines) • Nurse (lacking the academics) • Lots of Teachers and Computer Programmers (many justifications)

  10. Q5. What are some tools that you use to promote realistic career goals with your students/clients? • Interest Inventories / Assessment • Guidance office • APH Transition Tote • AFB CareerConnect (spelled many ways) • Nebraska Transition Library • College campuses & Disability Centers • I counsel them • Introduce them to the job requirements • www.achievetexas.org Achieve Texas (O-Net like)

  11. Q5. What are some tools that you use to promote realistic career goals with your students/clients? • Give them a good reality check • Discussion • Work with their families early on • Introduce them to as many jobs & related jobs as possible • Provide them with articles and interviews of successfully employed persons who are blind or visually impaired – “Success Stories” • www.bridges.com Bridges • Occupational Outlook Handbook

  12. Q5. What are some tools that you use to promote realistic career goals with your students/clients? • Blind adult mentors • Empowerment Curriculum • Making lists of positives and negatives • Dr. Karen Wolffe’s Transition Checklist • Transition Planning Inventory • Choices • Job shadowing • Interviews • Work experiences • Observations

  13. Q6. What is one tip or piece of advice that you would want to give to others about promoting realistic career goals? (Tip, advice, or best practice) • Introduce them to mentors • Explore career characteristics / Requirements • Guide them, don’t tell them! • Work with their parents early on • Job shadowing • Network with people in that field • Be honest and upfront • Don’t say, “can’t” because they hear that all of the time • Experiences • “Don’t kill their dreams!”

  14. Q6. What is one tip or piece of advice that you would want to give to others about promoting realistic career goals? (Tip, advice, or best practice) • Have high expectations • Assessment • Strengths and weaknesses • Etc… (great advice overall)

  15. Q7. Estimate what percentage of your students that you believe will reach their career goal? • 10 percent 13.6% 8 • 30 percent 28.8% 17 • 50 percent 32.2% 19 • 70 percent 16.9% 10 • 90 percent 8.5% 5 • 100 percent  0.0%

  16. Resources • AFB CareerConnect - free • Job Seeker’s Toolkit - free • Career Clusters (AFB CareerConnect) • AccessWorld – free • APH Transition Tote (Fall ‘12) • Mentoring! Visually impaired & sighted mentors… • Internships – as many as possible

  17. Goal Setting, Mapping, & Career Goals ERASE low expectation and aim for achievable goals • Exploring interests, values, and abilities • Researching goals • Are the goals Achievable • Set objectives • Execute!

  18. Mapping Out Career Goals • Map out the future • It can & will change • Set objectives and work to achieve them • It is important to always have goals & objectives • Inform others • Be accountable

  19. Questions You are the people learning about resources and promoting best practices, so thank you! • Are we doing enough? • Are we doing too much? • Is what we are doing working? • What is working? • What is not working?

  20. Promoting TRUE Independence Who helps with accommodations on the job or in school? • Problem solving • Accommodating for themselves as much as possible • Learn to put in the extra time • Dependent on professionals & VR

  21. Resources • USAJOBS.com – Federal Jobs • GettingHired.com • NIB & NIB CareersWithVision • VR • Career Centers • Job Fairs • Knocking on doors! • Networking

  22. Resources • Volunteering • Hadley School for the Blind: offers employment course, business writing, AT Courses, & Self Employment) • ODEP

  23. What is happening in your state? • Do you feel like sharing? • Best practices • Exciting info • Tools • Ideas • Comments

  24. Special Thanks • YOU for participating in this session! • Survey Participants around the U.S. • Richard Rueda • CTEBVI • AFB

  25. Contact Information Joe Strechay AFB 1000 5th Ave., Suite 350 Huntington, WV 25701 jstrechay@afb.net & Scott Truax struax@afb.net

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