VOCATIONAL

 

Vocational opportunities at Coryell Autism Center ensure that our students develop the skills needed to transition successfully into the working world, which means that all Coryell students have real résumés that they are constantly expanding by acquiring new skills and experiences. The jobs our students take on are selected based on individual interests and abilities, and may include campus-based pre-vocational training or skill-building, community-based job-coaching, part-time employment, and occasional volunteer work.  A student who masters the tasks of a particular job may become a mentor for one who is new to the position.

Coryell Autism Center forms alliances with local businesses to create job opportunities that are challenging and fun.  Our staff works directly with each student and their employer to ensure that all duties are understood, students are well-trained to complete the required duties, and that the job responsibilities are completed with the desired outcome. All of our vocational sites are expected to provide meaningful compensation to our students for the work they perform; we also use WorkAbility to guarantee that our students receive a paycheck.  We have regular evaluation procedures in place for each job site to track the success of individual placements, as well as to give immediate and precise feedback to the students, and to access areas where we need to provide additional training and support.  Our goal is threefold: to help students identify and experience the kinds of work they like and excel at, to create a network of community vocational support for individuals with disabilities, and ultimately to match each of our students with appropriate employment as they transition out of school and into the rest of their lives.

Vocational skills our students are learning include:

• Applying and interviewing for a job; keeping a résumé
• Social skills, dress & hygiene in the workplace
• Office, warehouse, retail, animal care & food service skills
• Performing job tasks accurately, efficiently, and independently
• Responsible use of workplace tools and technologies
• Punctuality, taking time off and calling in sick
• Working cooperatively & training new workers
• Working without a break/taking a break at work
• Problem-solving and asking for help
• Understanding workplace hierarchies & accepting feedback
• Using timecards & timesheets and handling a paycheck
• Identifying work preferences & job sites; quitting responsibly

 

Our vocational partners include:

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing
Sessions
Rebele Family Shelter
The Circle Church