Where your future begins

Career Planning

Status: Archived

Approved Date: April 16, 2020

​​​​1. Reference Summary of Initial Meeting and Planning & Readiness Factors guide.

2. For clients who are recipients of local, state, and federal benefits, schedule Benefits Orientation. Once completed, refer and authorize for Benefits Assessment.

3. Assist client in determining or refining job goal. Career exploration can be completed through the following activities and are not exclusive of each other and may occur simultaneously.

  • Client is uncertain of his/her current skills and abilities in their occupation of interest 
  • Client is ambivalent on job interests.
  • VR Specialist does not feel the client is well matched or well prepared for an employment site 
  • Client wants to pursue post-secondary training but data is dated or unavailable from school records or medical reports that would support or not support post-secondary training.
  • If previous VR case, what is new or different now? Reference Planning & Readiness Factors.
  • Utilize collateral information gained from observations and activities completed throughout Pre-Employment Transition Services, if applicable.
  • Review with the client the list of Career Exploration activities in Step 2 of the Discovery Booklet (if used) so the client can decide which activities will assist in selecting a job goal.
  • Reference IPE Guide and Job Planning Resource Guide for other career exploration and skill assessment (Abilities and Capabilities) options. Make sure goal is consistent with strengths and limitations.
  • Consider referral to Vocational Evaluation.
  • Promote Rapid Engagement activities. This option is available for clients who have identified an interest area and need further exploration. The following rapid engagement activities are completed in a competitive work setting. Multiple activities can be completed. Consider assessing soft skills and accommodation needs prior to initiating rapid engagement activities to ensure the client has adequate supports for a successful experience.

4. Address Labor Market Information.

5. Review work-related concerns potentially affecting the client getting or keeping the vocational goal he/she is interested in pursuing. Factors to be addressed are disability, financial, legal issues, daily living, work history, attendance, etc.

6. With the client, establish steps, services, and supports necessary to achieve job goal. Address evaluation criteria, service provider responsibilities, comparable benefits, and possible cost participation. Discuss strategies to assume cost in the future. Document how informed choice was facilitated in the career planning process.

7. Mutually agree on goal(s), services, and supports required and write the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).

Career Planning systemically originates at Initial Meeting through conversation but formally begins after eligibility and priority group determination has been completed and client is removed from the waitlist (during Order of Selection), and progresses through development of the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).  The foundational assumption is that ALL can work. Career Planning assists with identifying a career direction and developing a plan for achieving competitive, integrated, individualized employment or self-employment at or above state minimum wage. Services shall be completed in a manner that affords clients the opportunity to exercise informed choice in selecting an employment goal with consideration given to his/her strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and labor market information. Reference Meet you Where You Are Model and VR Process Chart .

NOTE: Assessment can take place anytime in the VR Process.


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