Pathways to Employment and Quality of Life for Apprenticeship and Traineeship Graduates with Disabilities

People with disabilities have low participation rates in employment and vocational education and training. Thirty adults with disabilities were sampled from an Australian longitudinal study of economic and social outcomes achieved by graduate apprentices and trainees. Participants were surveyed and interviewed to identify pathways from high school to 12-months post-graduation and completed the Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL.Q). Career pathways incorporated experiences facilitating career development including continuous engagement in vocational activities and support from school personnel and external disability agencies. A year following graduation, 87% were in paid work, 53% remained with the training employer, and 40% continued with vocational education. Positive quality of life (QoL) outcomes were associated with employment, employee benefits and satisfaction with work and social connections. Our research demonstrated that apprenticeships and traineeships led to positive graduate employment outcomes and career pathways for adults with disabilities. Positive employment outcomes were associated with enhanced QoL for participants.     

WAIS-R scores as predictors of employment success and failure among adults with learning disabilities

The transition of adults with learning disabilities to successful employment is contingent upon numerous factors. Eighty-six adults (55 males and 31 females), 18 to 59 years old (mean age 26.7 years), with learning disabilities were evaluated clinically using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) (Wechsler, 1981) to determine the value of WAIS-R IQs and subtest scores in predicting successful employment. Significant relationships were identified between subjects' WAIS-R IQs and scaled scores and job success. Conclusions and recommendations were reported.     

Quality job indicators for individuals with learning disabilities

This study identifies the quality job indicators and employer training required to provide appropriate support for students with learning disabilities (LD) to obtain and maintain employment. A consortium of collaborators was established from a university and state workforce commission grant project, a school district and 55 employers. Employers were trained to implement the quality indicators identified in literature found to support students with LD in paid employment while attending high school. The methodology consisted of gathering qualitative data from employer surveys and interviews reporting experiences and examining data results. Participants included 56 students with LD placed with 55 employers who had been trained in implementing the identified quality job indicators. Fourteen of the 21 quality job indicators were reported to be implemented by at least 90% of the employers. The quality indicators implemented are related to time expectations, on-the-job training, retraining, problem solving, supervision, verbal and written communication, flexible scheduling, breaks and positive reinforcement. The employers reported training in the use of the quality job indicators was effective in providing individuals with LD positive support in the workplace.     

Predictors of adult quality of life for foster care alumni with physical and/or psychiatric disabilities

INTRODUCTION: This study used quality of life and resilience as theoretical frameworks for evaluating predictors of outcomes for adults who received foster care services alumni of foster care and were diagnosed with a physical or psychiatric disability while in foster care. METHOD: First, outcomes for foster care alumni with and without physical and psychiatric disabilities (N=1,087) were compared according to quality of life variables. Second, using only participants with disabilities (N=578), stepwise regression analyses were performed to determine whether risk and protective factors were associated with specific outcomes. RESULTS: Alumni with disabilities had significantly lower economic (p=.020) and health (p=.001) outcomes; and reported lower educational attainment (p=.002), more difficulty paying monthly bills (p=.026), more psychiatric diagnoses (p=.006), lower self-esteem (p=.013), and worse physical health (p=.001) than those without disabilities. For alumni with disabilities, receiving special education services and experiencing sexual abuse while in foster care were significant risk factors for poor self-esteem; conversely, receiving services and resources that prepared foster care alumni for leaving foster care (e.g., protective factors) predicted better outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: By expanding the quality of life outcomes analyses to investigate the impact of risk and protective factors on outcomes of foster care alumni with disabilities, this study fills a gap in the literature by assessing outcome differences within the foster-care population. The study found protective factors were associated with more educational attainment and higher self-esteem in adulthood. Conversely, those who received special education services and experienced sexual abuse while in foster care may be at the greatest risk of poor self-esteem and therefore, could benefit from services that enhance self-esteem.     

Beyond transition: a comparison of the employment experiences of American and Canadian adults with LD

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Canadian Chartre of Rights and Freedoms, there is a new work environment for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) in North America. This qualitative study sought to compare the employment experiences of 25 U.S. adults with LD and 24 Canadian adults with LD. Areas of comparison were job getting, experiences on the job, and job advancement. Remarkably, the U.S. and Canadian adults with LD had nearly the same employment experiences. In essence, each set of data mirrored the other despite marked differences in U.S. and Canadian federal disability legislation.     

Correlates of postsecondary employment outcomes for young adults with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to examine the efficiency of a set of selected variables for predicting postsecondary employment success for young adults classified as learning disabled in high school and (b) to provide a portrayal of employment adjustment in the first years after exiting high school. Data on both employment stability and job status were gathered through telephone interviews. Of the 284 students with learning disabilities who exited the four participating high schools between 1986 and 1989, contact was made with 175 (62%). This sample was composed of 75% males, who ranged in age from 18 to 23 years. Statistical tests reveal that students (a) with high math ability, (b) who were employed during high school, and (c) whose parents actively participated in their education were more likely to experience employment success after high school. Overall, 86% of the sample was employed either full- or part-time, with the majority in entry-level, unskilled jobs. In terms of postsecondary education, 26% completed at least one semester of college or technical school, though at the time of follow-up only 13% were enrolled in school.     

Family Contribution to the Vocational Lives of Vocationally Competent Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

This paper reports the results of a qualitative research study of vocationally competent young adults with mild intellectual disabilities. The purpose of the study was to examine the contributions which families made to the success of these young adults in competitive employment. The participants were clients of a competitive employment and training program who were purposively sampled using the criterion of having maintained competitive employment for 6 months and ranged in age from 19 to 30 years. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the participants and some of their family members. Content analysis was used to generate categories and themes. The significant finding was how families contribute to the individuals' efforts to maintain competitive employment. Analysis of the themes indicated that certain family characteristics led to more successful employment outcomes. These characteristics were moral support, practical assistance, role models of appropriate work ethic, protection from difficulties and exploitation, and family cohesion. An interesting finding was that the families responded to these young people as if they were in an earlier developmental stage except in the area of employment. Implications for families and vocational education practitioners are suggested.     

Adults with Learning Disabilities in the Workforce: Lessons for Secondary Transition Programs

Now almost 15 years after the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) data are emerging in the literature related to job entry and employment outcomes of adults with learning disabilities (LD). Although these data are derived from varying methodologies, they converge in three critical areas: Knowledge of the ADA, realities of workplace self‐disclosure, and the importance of self‐determination. This review presents findings in each of these areas. The messages obtained from adults with LD who experience the realities of the workplace can provide significant information for secondary programs that assist students with hidden disabilities preparing to transition to college or to employment.     

基于大数据的高校智能就业平台建设与应用

人工智能与大数据的广泛应用,催生了新的就业模式和职业教育新生态。为解决当前高校职业教育滞后、慢就业现象突出、就业信息化不对称以及就业指导个性化缺失等问题,文章以大数据的思维与技术为基础,构建以学生培养为导向,以大学生精准就业为核心,集就业、招聘、教育、评估、监测、研判等为一体的高校智能就业服务模式与就业平台,实现线上职业课程学习、精准岗位推荐、职业规划指导、学生差异分析、学生职业画像、雇主岗位画像、企业招聘、毕业生画像等服务,助力就业模式的升级与改革,提高人才培养质量和大学生就业竞争力。     

试论新形势下的大学毕业生就业

大学生毕业就业是高等学校每年不变的工作 ,作为劳动人事制度组成部分的高校毕业生就业制度将全面实行“供需见面 ,双向选择”。大学毕业生就业将朝着规范化、法制化方向发展 ,表现为“一个主题 ,两个转变 ,三个机遇 ,四个趋势 ,五个特点”。     

A comparison of successful and unsuccessful placements of youths with mental handicaps into competitive employment

Abstract

We compared 54 matched pairs of high school students and young adults with mental retardation. One member of each pair had remained successfully employed for 10 or more hours per week at minimum wage or better for at least 6 months, and the other had not. Placement counselors, trainers, or supervisors completed case study questionnaires about their students (or clients). The results indicated successful placements in a variety of positions and communities across the nation. The most important elements contributing to this success are placement agency follow‐up support; home support; the individual's job skills, social ability, and match to job demands; the creativity and persistence of the placement specialist; incentive to employers (e.g., tax credits and employment subsidies) and employer's support of the placement.     

Differences in transitional needs of high school students with and without learning disabilities

Studies investigating the post-high-school vocational status of individuals with disabilities have frequently found that these individuals are more likely to be unemployed, underemployed, or employed part-time, when compared to nondisabled peers. Transition programs are needed for adolescents with disabilities to facilitate their vocational success. The current study surveyed 80 high school students with learning disabilities (LD) and 80 nondisabled (NLD) peers to determine their transitional needs. Results indicated that (a) more students with LD than NLD students are involved in transition programs; (b) career goals were established by the majority of both groups; (c) parents provided most of the assistance in making career decisions; and (d) twice as many NLD students as students with LD wanted to go to college, while twice as many students with LD as NLD students wanted to enter the job market. More students with LD than NLD students were aware of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, but the number was still below 50%. The majority of the information about VR services came from the school.     

大学毕业生就业能力与就业质量的关系研究——以徐州工程学院2013届毕业生为例

对2013届本科毕业生547份问卷调查和分析表明,对自我就业能力各因素评分由高到低依次为个人品质、人际沟通、问题解决、团队合作等,调查对象对客观就业质量评分由高到低依次为工资水平、就业地点、单位知名度等,主观就业质量评分由高到低依次为工作单位满意度、专业对口满意度等。     

雇主责任制度若干问题辨析--兼评《最高人民法院关于审理人身损害赔偿案件适用法律若干问题的解释》第九条的规定

本文深入探讨了雇主责任确认中的若干疑难问题.关于雇佣关系的确认,文章区分了雇佣关系与承揽关系、雇佣关系与劳动关系、雇佣关系与委托关系;关于雇主责任的归责原则,文章指出我国应该确立符合国际发展趋势的无过错责任;关于执行职务的范围,文章认为应该采用主客观综合判断说;关于雇主对雇员的追偿权问题,文章赞同雇主对雇员享有追偿权,但以损害是因雇员的故意或重大过失造成为限.     

Instructional strategies for long-term success

Through a qualitative research study we developed a model of employment success based on the experiences of successful adults with learning disabilities. This model may be particularly useful to students with learning disabilities in helping them experience success both in school and beyond. We suggest that the components of the model—internal decisions comprising desire, goal orientation, and reframing, and external manifestations or behaviors of persistence, goodness of fit, learned creativity, and favorable social ecologies—can be systematically taught and then used. By focusing on what has worked for adults with learning disabilities, we propose that the model taps into inherent strengths that can compensate for significant limitations associated with learning disabilities. The model does not guarantee success, but it does equip students with learning disabilities with a readiness to capitalize on opportunities that they might otherwise miss.     

Measuring the Early Adulthood Outcomes of Young Adults with Disabilities: Developing Constructs using NLTS2 Data

Secondary data analysis was used to develop and examine disability-related differences in outcome constructs from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. Findings suggest that outcome constructs could be created that represented key elements of quality of life domains including social relationships, financial independence, financial supports, employment, emotional well-being, postsecondary education, independent living, health status, access to services, and advocating for needs. The constructs could be measured equivalently across disability groups, but young adults with high incidence disabilities, generally, experienced more positive outcomes than those with more severe disabilities, despite the finding that those with more severe disabilities have greater access to services and financial supports. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

Falling through the cracks: rehabilitation services for adults with learning disabilities.

The present study investigated the knowledge and perceptions of vocational rehabilitation (VR) of adults with learning disabilities (LD), as well as control variables which describe adults with LD and may have a bearing on access to VR services. This was accomplished by (1) determining the knowledge adults with LD had of their rights under federal rehabilitation regulations; (2) examining demographic control variables (e.g., sex, age, education level, hometown population, employment history, and income), which may have a bearing on the need for or access to VR services by adults with LD; and (3) examining experiences/perceptions of adults with LD regarding the VR application/eligibility process. A pretested questionnaire appeared in the January 1989 ACLD Newsbriefs. Findings indicate that while there was a group of respondents who were satisfied with the rehabilitation services they had received, there was also a large group of respondents who were either ineligible for rehabilitation services or dissatisfied with services they received. Generally, respondents' knowledge of VR was limited.     

Stackable credentials and career/college pathways in culinary arts at Kingsborough Community College,CUNY

Discussions of workforce development emphasize stackable training, and assume linear advancement and alignment, through college and career paths. Stackable credentials have become a best practice for community colleges across the United States as they struggle to advance the college completion agenda and ensure that students graduate with the skills needed to find gainful employment. This study examined the concept of stackability in culinary arts at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. It compared employment and education opportunities for students enrolled in short-term training to those of students enrolled in an associate degree program. Its goal was to explore gaps between employer demand for trained workers and long-term investments in education. The study also aimed to suggest ways in which we can meaningfully support students in their pursuit of degrees, even as they seek employment in a high-growth sector for which education, experience, and job titles are often an imprecise match.