Student HireAbility Navigator

Position Summary:

The Student HireAbility Navigator works to improve access to employment and training services and increase employment opportunities for job seekers with disabilities. This position focuses exclusively on services for students with disabilities who are in the early phases of preparing for transition to postsecondary education and employment. The SHA Navigator serves as a resource in the workforce development area to support, expand, and enhance the provision of pre-employment transition services that are provided by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) as well as other partners and programs in the workforce development area.

 Essential Functions:

• Identify the pre-employment transition services available to students with disabilities in the workforce development area.
• Convene partners, including school districts and Education Service Centers, to discuss successful strategies and services, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration to improve the quality and/or availability of pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities.
• In consultation with the Board and the VR offices in the workforce development area, school districts, and other community partners, create a three-year action plan to achieve specific deliverables. The plan must be written within 5 months from hire.
• Increase community and system awareness of the resources and activities available to students with disabilities in the following five pre-employment transition services:
  • job (career) exploration counseling.
  • work-based learning experiences, which may include in school or after school opportunities, or experience outside the traditional school setting (including internships), provided in an integrated environment to the maximum extent possible.
  • counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education.
  • workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living; and
  • instruction in self-advocacy, which may include peer mentoring.
• Develop and sustain relationships with the school districts and Education Service Centers in the workforce development area to promote awareness and availability of pre-employment transition services and Workforce Solutions resources to schools, parents, and students.
• Promote the use of career exploration, postsecondary education planning, and work readiness tools available.
• In consultation with Workforce Solutions Offices, local VR offices, local education agencies, parents and students with disabilities, employers, and community partners, develop effective and innovative strategies to:
  • Improve the transition to postsecondary activities of students who are members of traditionally unserved and underserved populations.
  • Expand or enhance the provision of the five required pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities in the workforce development area
• Convene and/or attend workgroups, committees, coalitions, and cross-agency teams to foster system and community coordination of pre-employment transition services and activities for students with disabilities.
• Provide information, training, and technical assistance to Workforce Solutions Offices, local VR offices, school districts, Education Service Centers, community partners, and employers, regarding resources and activities available to assist students with disabilities to transition successfully to postsecondary education, employment, or both.
• Develop and coordinate events, campaigns, and other activities to increase and foster student and family awareness of and access to pre-employment transition services provided by local VR offices, school districts, Education Service Centers, other Workforce Solutions programs, and community partners and resources.
• Organize events and activities to increase employers' understanding of the abilities of students with disabilities.
• Provide training and/or resources to increase employers' awareness of disability etiquette and accommodations for students with disabilities.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to develop work- based learning opportunities for students with disabilities, including internships, summer employment, other employment opportunities available throughout the school year, and apprenticeships.
• Ensure that state and/or local VR staff receive the data and