Teaching employment and career skills is a key part of transition services because it helps students with disabilities build independence and prepare for meaningful adult roles. Teachers can support this by focusing on job readiness skills, providing real-world work experiences, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and encouraging self-advocacy so students are equipped for success in the workplace. Here’s how teachers can approach it.
EMPLOYMENT & CAREER SKILLS
WHAT IS IT?
STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING EMPLOYMENT & CAREER READINESS
START WITH INTERESTS AND STRENGTHS
Teachers can guide career exploration by using interest inventories, interviews, and hands-on activities to help students discover their likes and strengths. Linking these interests to real-world opportunities—for example, a student who enjoys organizing might thrive in clerical or retail work—makes career planning more meaningful and practical.
TEACH WORK READINESS SKILLS
Emphasize soft skills such as punctuality, appropriate dress, communication, teamwork, and following directions, since these are essential for workplace success. These skills can be reinforced through role-play, mock interviews, and classroom “jobs” like taking attendance, delivering mail, or organizing supplies, giving students meaningful practice in real-life work behaviors.
PROVIDE REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES
Provide students with authentic workplace experiences through job shadowing, volunteering, internships, or school-based enterprises. Partnering with local businesses and vocational agencies also helps create supported employment opportunities, giving students valuable exposure to real work settings.
BREAK DOWN EMPLOYMENT TASKS
Teachers can support students by teaching job skills step by step through task analysis and repeated practice. Using tools like visual supports, checklists, and assistive technology can make tasks more manageable and help students build independence on the job.
BUILD SELF-ADVOCACY AND INDEPENDENCE
Teachers should help students learn how to request accommodations, decide if and when to disclose their disability, and communicate their needs to supervisors. Encouraging students to set career goals and monitor their progress builds confidence and prepares them for workplace success.
COLLABORATE WITH FAMILIES AND AGENCIES
Involve families in career exploration by encouraging them to support skill practice at home and reinforcing workplace readiness outside of school. It is also important to connect students with adult service providers, such as vocational rehabilitation or supported employment agencies, before graduation to ensure a smooth transition into the workforce.
TEACHER TIP: Treat career skills like life skills—teach them in real contexts, reinforce them often, and celebrate successes.