Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
__________
[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- g. Coordination with Employers
Describe how the designated State unit will work with employers to identify competitive integrated employment and career exploration opportunities in order to facilitate the provision of:
- g. Coordination with Employers
g. 2. Transition services, including pre-employment transition services, for students and youth with disabilities.
Current Narrative:
The age requirement for a student with a disability who can receive Pre-ETS for Idaho Title IV WIOA programs is 14 years old to not older than 21 (up to the individual’s 22nd birthday), effective this state plan.
IDVR works with employers to provide the five required Pre-Employment Transition Services and Transition services to both students and youth with disabilities in a competitive integrated setting. The Division provides a coordinated set of transition activities that are outcome oriented and promote movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary and vocational training, career exploration, in competitive integrated employment. Other transition services we provide include working with employers to provide job shadows, individual work-based learning experiences and when needed for IDVR youth customers, job-related services, job search and placement assistance, job retention, and follow-up and follow along services.
The Division provides transition services as “group services” or as “individualized services”. Group transition services are provided to potentially eligible students; group transition services may also be provided to eligible students and youth with disabilities. Individualized transition services are provided to students through a pre-case or to youth who have been determined eligible and have an IPE.
Within the Regional Business Engagement plans the provision of business services includes identifying and working with businesses to promote and expand opportunities for students to gain work experiences prior to graduation from high school. IDVR has worked directly with employers to provide students with up to 150 hours of paid work-based learning experiences with employers in the community. To further build on this, IDVR is in the process of identifying a communication system to house general information on businesses that have identified as willing to partner to host students for these experiences to ensure ease of communication and understanding of business partners and what experiences that are able to offer students. Additionally, the Division is in the beginning stages of implementation within the internal Employer Information Pages, to house detailed information on employers that have expressed interest in hosting multiple students for work experiences, tours, job shadows, or informational interviews over time. This information is being compiled and housed in this destination to assure the information is accessible to all Division staff that would benefit from access to this information on businesses willing to host students for these experiences.
The Business Spotlights that have been completed have also served as a platform for Division staff to connect and learn about opportunities for students and youth with the various businesses that have been highlighted in these sessions. Businesses have been able to communicate with Division staff their ability to support programs such as work experiences, and answer questions regarding their capabilities to support and host students during these sessions.
IDVR is in the process of developing a training video to assist IDVR staff with communicating effectively with businesses regarding these opportunities for students. This training video will give staff an example of how to approach businesses and communicate effectively regarding these work-based learning opportunities for students and youth.
IDVR has developed a survey for business partners and was provided to business partners that hosted students during the 2021 Summer Work Experience program across the state. Once feedback is gained, it will be utilized to make changes aligning with the needs of business to better provide this service to students while meeting the needs of businesses as the host site for the experiences.