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Education Planning Activities

Activity/Description Resources

Assessment Information
Formal and informal assessments contribute to decisions about work, learning and living for adulthood. Education staff, parents and others will help you organize current assessments, find needed assessments and help you interpret the results. Completing a learning styles inventory will assist you and others about how you best learn and skills you might develop to improve other modes of learning. Getting the big picture will help you find occupational areas and specific careers/jobs of interest.

Interviewing Skills and Resume Development
While you are working a personal profile you can develop job seeking skills. Readiness for an interview and an effective resume may be just what you need to stand out among other applicants.

Self Determination and Self Advocacy
Every individual needs to develop self determination skills and the ability to advocate for oneself in a respectful and appropriate way, but an individual with a disability must also consider if, when and how much to disclose about a disability that may interfere with academic or job performance. This is all part of considerations for requesting support under the ADA and 504 Eligibility. Knowing about rights and responsibilities is an important factor in adulthood. If you receive special education service while in school a Summary of Performance will be developed to assist you during adulthood. Again, the WV Division of Rehabilitation Services will be a significant help for understanding adult eligibility.

Self Assessment
Additional areas for ongoing assessment include work habits, study skills and soft skills for work. These assessments should become a part of the comprehensive portfolio.

Matching Occupational Interests and Requirements
A good match of your skills, interests and aptitudes with possible occupations is the most important part of developing a career plan. Knowing the range of occupations and jobs within your selected career cluster will help you achieve your goals; therefore, researching requirements of a specific job or identifying a range of jobs within a cluster (salary ranges, education requirements, etc.) will contribute to identifying your career goal.

Supports
Whether you are planning to continue with education or go directly into the world of work, exploring potential financial aid supports, scholarships, apprenticeship opportunities, and work/disability benefits is a vital part of the post school planning process. The WV Division of Rehabilitation Services will be a significant help for each of these areas.

Education and/or Training
Once you determine possible occupational areas and develop a list of careers, you should consider the educational and/or training requirements for specific jobs. The entire range of educational and training choices (4 year college, 2 year college, technical training/typically 2 years, long term on-the-job, moderate term on-the-job, short term on-the-job, apprenticeship, internship, etc.). All jobs require some level of training and typically a trial period.

Who can help me?

WorkForce WV
Workforce WV offers valuable employment and training services to help you with your job hunt.

WV Division of Rehabilitation Services
WV Division of Rehabilitation Services counselors can help high school students with disabilities prepare and plan for their working future.

WV Adult Education
WV Adult Education helps adult learners gain skills needed to obtain a job, advance in their current job, or enter a new career field. The core academics include reading, mathematics, English, and computer skills.