Career Assessment

1
Career Assessment

• Making the Match
• Role of Career Assessment Job Analysis

2
Overview

• Vocational evaluation (VE) is written in the
  Rehabilitation Act.
• In IDEA, transition planning must be based on
  assessment (requiring collaboration between
  special education and vocational rehabilitation).
• Vocational Assessment (VA) and Vocational
  Evaluation (VE) also required in the Workforce
  Investment Act (One Stops).

3
Overview

• Vocational Evaluation (VE) can be used to
  include, not exclude consumers into the VR
  program by providing realistic vocational
  options.
• VE increases the successful outcomes of VR
  consumers because assessment data provides
  realistic recommendations for vocational goals
  and plans.
• VE promotes informed choice, as required by the
  Rehabilitation Act.
• VE empowers consumers to take an active role in
  their VR program.

4
Evidence Based Practices Vocational Evaluation

• Longitudinal Study Vocational Evaluation and
  Ongoing Assessment Improve Successful Transition
  Outcomes
• Project PERT (Post Secondary Education,
  Rehabilitation Transition) of Virginia found
  that with initial vocational evaluation followed
  by ongoing assessment, transition planning, and
  exposure to work, youth became successfully
  employment with higher wages (Ashley, et al,
  2007).

5
Evidence Based Practices Vocational Evaluation

• Longitudinal Study Vocational Evaluation
  Positively Impacts Career Tech Ed (CTE) Placement
  and Outcome
• Youth have higher CTE placement rates when
  vocational evaluation recommendations are
  followed
• Youth have higher success rates (grades) when
  vocational evaluation recommendations are
  followed
• Youth have higher employment rates following CTE
  programs when vocational evaluation
  recommendations are followed. (Reid, Scott, et
  al, 2001, 2005).

6
Evidence Based Practices Vocational Evaluation

• Longitudinal Study Vocational Evaluation when
  followed by Employment Services contributes to
  successful outcomes for VR consumers, especially
  those who may not be successful otherwise. (Homa,
  2006)

7
How does the rehabilitation act define career
assessment?

• The Foundation of our Practice

8
VR Eligibility

• To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation
  services, an individual must
• Have a physical or mental impairment, which
  results in a substantial impediment to
  employment and
• Be able to benefit in terms of an employment
  outcome (A person with an impairment and
  impediment is presumed to be able to benefit in
  the rare event that there are serious doubts
  about ability to benefit, the individual will be
  offered trial work experiences or a period of
  extended evaluation to further determine ability
  to benefit) and
• Require VR services to prepare for, secure,
  retain or regain employment.
• (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title I,
  Part A, Section 102)

9
Presumed Eligibility for VR Services

• Individuals who (1) receive certain benefits and
  (2) apply for VR services in order to achieve
  employment are presumed eligible for VR services.
  The following are presumed eligible
• SSI/DI recipients, and/or Individuals eligible
  for long-term supports of DDA/MHA and pursuing
  competitive or supported employment.
• (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title I,
  Part A, Section 102)

10
Documentation of Ineligibility

• Ineligibility for VR Services An individual may
  be determined ineligible for VR services for the
  following reasons
• The individual does not have a physical or mental
  impairment or
• The individuals impairment does not result in a
  substantial impediment to employment or
• The individual does not require services to
  achieve employment or
• The individual cannot benefit in terms of an
  employment outcome due to severity of the
  disability, determined subsequent to trial work
  experiences or extended evaluation.

11
What does the Rehab. Act Say?

• Assessment 3 Phases
• Use of Existing Assessment Data
• If not available, appropriate assessment
  activities to obtain necessary additional data to
  make such determination and assignment
• To make a determination of the employment
  outcomes, and the objectives, nature, and scope
  of vocational rehabilitation services, to be
  included in the Individualized Plan for
  Employment of an eligible individual

12
What does the Rehab. Act Say?

• Phase 1 Use of Existing information
• information available from other programs and
  providers, particularly information used by
  education officials and the Social Security
  Administration, information provided by the
  individual and the family of the individual, and
  information obtained under the assessment for
  determining eligibility and vocational
  rehabilitation needs.

13
What does the Rehab. Act Say?

• Phases 2 3 Comprehensive assessment to
  determine the unique strengths, resources,
  priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities,
  interests, and informed choice, including the
  need for supported employment

14
What does the Rehab. Act Say?

• Comprehensive assessment may include an
  assessment of the personality, interests,
  interpersonal skills, intelligence and related
  functional capacities, educational achievements,
  work experience, vocational aptitudes, personal
  and social adjustments, and employment
  opportunities of the individual, and the medical,
  psychiatric, psychological

15
What does the Rehab. Act Say?

• Comprehensive assessment (contd)
• an appraisal of the patterns of work behavior of
  the individual and services needed
• referral, for the provision of rehabilitation
  technology services
• an exploration of the individual's abilities,
  capabilities, and capacity to perform in work
  situations, which shall be assessed periodically
  during trial work experiences, including
  experiences in which the individual is provided
  appropriate supports and training.

16
National/Universal Definitions of Career and
Vocational Assessment
17
Guiding Principles of Career Assessment

• Vocational evaluation should use a variety of
  methods, tools and approaches to provide accurate
  vocational evaluation and assessments.
• Vocational evaluation and assessment information
  should be verified using different methods, tools
  and approaches. Using alternative methods or
  approaches to validate findings.
• Behavioral observation is essential in any
  vocational assessment process. Behavioral
  observation occurs throughout the assessment
  process.

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Guiding Principles of Career Assessment (contd)

• Vocational evaluation and assessment may be an
  on-going and developmental process in career
  development.
• Vocational evaluation and assessment should be an
  integral part of larger service delivery systems.
  Vocational evaluation and assessment requires the
  collection of input from a variety of individuals
  and requires an understanding of how to use the
  results of the assessment process. Vocational
  evaluation and assessment should be current,
  valid and relevant.
• Position Paper of the Interdisciplinary Council
  on Vocational Evaluation and Assessment by Smith
  F., Lombard R., Neubert D., Leconte P.,
  Rothernbacher C., Sitlington, P.

19
Assessment is an integral part of the career
development process. It is ongoing and can
happen anytime and anywhere. The purpose is to
plan how the individual is going to achieve
their career goals.
20
Types of Assessment

• Career Assessment relates to life-long career
  development, which affects life roles, and is
  ongoing throughout ones life.
• Vocational Assessment and Evaluation relate to
  the role of the potential worker (and employment).

21
What is Career Assessment?

• The on-going process of collecting information
  for career development and career planning.
• Lifelong process
• Addresses all aspects of life within career
  contexts
• People come to understand themselves
• Cyclical Process and Content
• Career Awareness
• Career Exploration
• Career Preparation
• Career Assimilation and Change
• Review the Career Development Checklists posted
  in the Wiki.

22
What is Vocational Assessment?

• A comprehensive, informal process conducted over
  a period of time, usually involving a
  multidisciplinary team with the purpose of
  identifying individual characteristics,
  rehabilitation, education, training, and
  placement needs, serving as the basis for
  planning an individuals rehabilitation,
  employment, career development, education, and/or
  transition program(s), and that provides the
  individual with insight into vocational and
  career potential.

23
What is Vocational Evaluation?

• A comprehensive process (with content) that
  systematically uses work, either real or
  simulated, as the focal point for assessment and
  vocational exploration, the purpose of which is
  to assist individuals with vocational
  development. Vocational evaluation incorporates
  medical, psychological, social, vocational,
  educational, cultural, and economic data into the
  process to attain the goals of evaluation.
• 30th Institute on Rehabilitation Issues

24
Levels of Career Vocational Assessment

• Levels of Service
• Level III comprehensive career
  assessment/vocational evaluation.
• Level II diagnostic and prognostic,
  exploration, go onto next level if more
  information is needed to make decisions.
• Level I make quick decisions minimal
  assessment required, go on to next level if more
  information is required.

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For Vocational Assessment

• Levels I and II assessment can be coordinated and
  collected by anyone, hopefully with the
  consultation or coordination from someone
  Certified in Vocational Evaluation (CVE) by the
  Commission on Certification of Work Adjustment
  and Vocational Evaluation Specialists (CCWAVES)
• Level III assessment should be conducted and
  coordinated by a CVE. (They can provide all 3
  levels of service, but are the only ones
  qualified to provide Level III Comprehensive
  Vocational Evaluation.)

26
Framework for Career Assessment

• Examples of an Individuals Attributes
• Interests
• Level of Career Development
• Level of Self Determination
• Temperaments
• Skills
• Preferences
• Needs
• Strengths

• Examples of Ecological Attributes
• Environments
• Circumstances
• Relationships
• Situations
• Resources

• Individual Ecology Congruence

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Environment   Observations Interviews Labor
Market Info. Task Analysis Training
Analysis Community Resource Survey Job
Analysis
Individual   Observations Background
Information Interviews Psychometric Testing Work
Samples Work Tasks Transferable Skill
Assessment Screening
Congruence   Behavioral Observation Assistive
Technology Situational Assessment On the Job
Evaluation On the Job Try-Out Vocational
Profiling Follow-up Generalized Skill Assessment
 
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Continuum of Assessment
Informal Assessment Any assessment that involves
collection of data by anything other than a
norm-referenced (standardized) test. Salvia/Ysseld
yke- Assessment, 1995
Formal Assessment
29
What to Assess

• Vocational Appraisal Integrative Assessment of
  the Total Individual
• See Vocational Appraisal Handout posted in the
  Wiki
• Secretaries Commission on Achieving Necessary
  Skills (SCANS)
• See SCANS web links posted in Wiki
• Interests, Aptitudes, Preferences

30
Vocational Appraisal
Values
Behaviors
Self Concept Self Esteem
Values
Behaviors
31
SCANS (Secretarys Commission on Achieving
Necessary Skills)

• The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary
  Skills (SCANS) identifies the level of skills
  required to enter employment, including
• define the skills needed for employment
• propose acceptable levels of proficiency
• suggest effective ways to assess proficiency.
• http//wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/

32
SCANS (Secretarys Commission on Achieving
Necessary Skills)

• These workplace essential skills and the
  associated rating scales can be utilized to
  measure youth progress, thereby holding the
  standard expectation for individuals with and
  without disabilities.
• Workplace Essential Skills are identified as
  workplace competencies and foundations skills,
  also referred to as Workplace Know-How.
• Teaching the Scans Competencies
  http//wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/teaching/

33

34
Interests

• Career exploration
• Intended to broaden career perspectives
• Dynamic not static

35
Aptitudes

• Aptitudes involve specific skills that are not
  always demonstrated by the consumer to his or her
  potential. Aptitudes in areas such as
  mechanical, spatial, musical or artistic ability,
  or physical coordination may not be fully
  developed. This could be due to lack of interest
  or to lack of opportunity.

36
Aptitudes

• The Department of Labor has defined aptitudes in
  twelve areas. It may be helpful if educators
  were familiar with these aptitudes as they offer
  a different way of looking at skills. Even when
  using formal testing, your observations and
  interviews are helpful to validate the results.
  Most formal assessment tests evaluate according
  to these twelve areas

37
Aptitudes

• G Intelligence
• General ability to learn, reason, and make
  judgments
• V Verbal
• Ability to understand and use words effectively
• N Numerical
• Ability to understand and perform mathematical
  functions

38
Aptitudes (contd)

• S Spatial
• Ability to visualize three dimensional objects
  from two
• P Form Perception
• Ability to perceive and distinguish graphic
  detail
• Q Clerical Perception
• Ability to see and distinguish pertinent detail
• K Motor Coordination
• Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, fingers

39
Aptitudes (contd)

• F Finger Dexterity
• Ability to finger and manipulate small objects
• M Manual Dexterity
• Ability to handle placing and turning motions
• E Eye/Hand/Foot Coordination
• Motor responsiveness to visual stimuli
• C Color Discrimination
• Ability to match/discriminate colors

40
Temperaments

• Temperaments are personality traits that relate
  to the requirements of occupations. If these
  traits are a match, then there is a higher
  likelihood of job satisfaction. There is formal
  assessment for temperaments. The DOL defines
  temperament requirements as

41
Temperaments

• D Direct, control or plan an activity
• F Interpret feelings and ideas from a
  personal point of view
• I Influence peoples opinions, attitudes,
  or judgments
• J Generalize/decide based on sensory or
  judgmental criteria
• M Generalize/decide based on measurable or
  verifiable criteria

42
Temperaments

• P Deal with people beyond giving or
• receiving instructions
• R Perform repetitive work according to
• set pace or procedure
• S Deal with stress in critical/
• emergency/dangerous situations
• T Precisely attain set limits, tolerances,
• and standards
• V Do varied job duties without loss of
• composure or efficiency

43
Formal Assessments
44
Formal Assessments

• Formal assessments utilized standardized testing
  with norms. For example, formal assessments can
  be provided by Psychologists, Neuropsychologists,
  Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists,
  and Speech Therapists.
• Often times, we can decrease the amount of
  testing required by focusing on informal
  assessments and use of existing data.

45
Informal Assessment
46
Informal Assessment Data Interviews

• Interviews with the Consumer
• Family Interviews
• Interview with other Members of Teams (e.g.
  teachers, community rehabilitation providers,
  employers)

47
Informal Assessment Data Observation

• Observing an individual is an excellent way of
  gathering information about their strengths,
  aptitudes and interests, and experiences.
• The biggest mistake you can make is that you do
  not consider the setting in which you are
  observing!

48
National Definitions and Characteristics of
Community Based Vocational Assessment (CBVA)
49
(No Transcript)
50
Community Based Vocational Assessment

• A holistic assessment of an individuals
  interests, needs, and abilities in a job/worksite
  setting located in the community.

51
Situational Assessment

• The systematic observation process for
  identifying work-related behaviors and
  performances in a controlled work environment.
  Real work is most often used to add relevance.
  The element distinguishing situational assessment
  from other types of assessment is the capability
  of systematically varying demands in order to
  evaluate for work-related behaviors and
  performances (e.g. social skills, quantity of
  work, use of materials, work pace). (VEWAA/VECAP
  Glossary)

52
On-the-Job Evaluation

• An evaluation technique in which the individual
  performs actual job duties in a real work
  situation. Performance is supervised and
  evaluated by the employer in coordination with
  evaluation staff. There is a pre-determined
  beginning and ending date it is not necessarily
  intended to result in employment. (VEWAA/VECAP
  Glossary)

53
Job Try-out (Shop Try-out)

• A temporary job placement or internship designed
  to provide the individual with real work
  experience and community contacts where the
  employer or coworkers assess the individual. Job
  tryouts (a) expose the participant to new
  occupational experiences (b) assess the
  individuals work (c) expose employers to the
  potential worker (d) gather additional data
  useful for making job placement decisions and
  (e) provide the individuals with references and
  work experience to be documented in a resume.
  (Neubert Tilson)

54
Functional Skills Assessment

• The systematic process designed to assess
  individual skills, interests, values, behaviors
  and performance related to functioning in the
  community or home (e.g. money management skills,
  transportation skills, scheduling and
  organization), defining the level of support
  needed by the individual. Assessments and
  resulting recommendations regarding these skills
  should be based upon a clear analysis and
  understanding of the skills needed to function at
  varying levels of independence in the community
  and home.

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Community Based Vocational Assessment
56
Community Based Vocational Assessment

• Involves interaction between behavior and
  performance, considering environmental conditions
  and demands
• Determines the impact of disability and
  functional limitations
• Identifies the degree of the young persons
  acknowledgement and acceptance of disability
• Emphasizes supports and accommodations

57
Community Based Vocational Assessment
Characteristics

• Environmental specificity characterizes CBVA and
  differentiate it from other types of assessment
• Measure of what a person can do and the level of
  supports needed
• In particular situations
• Under certain conditions
• In light of unique demands

58
Guiding Principles in Community Based Vocational
Assessment

• Assessment serves as a compass not a detailed
  map.
• Individuals chart their own courses.
• Individuals have choices in how assessment is
  delivered.
• The assessment process itself is a learning
  process.
• Assessment summary is jointly written and
  analyzed by the individual.

59
Guiding Principles in Community-Based Assessment

• Assessment process takes an ecological approach
  providing an understanding of relationships among
  diverse influences on the individual.
• Assessment of specific work culture and
  receptivity of an employment site is as equally
  important as assessing the individual.

60
CBVA is Authentic Assessment

• Characteristics of Authentic Assessment
• People perform, create, produce or do
• Individual performance is the focus
• Tasks to perform are part of a larger context
  (e.g., curriculum, job, transition activity)
• People doing the rating use human judgment
• Higher order thinking and problem-solving skills
  are tapped
• There is no right answer
• Activities are closely integrated to
  self-assessment.

61
CBVA is Authentic Assessment

• Authentic Assessment occurs when the following is
  present
• prior knowledge, recent learning, or relevant
  skills to solve realistic, authentic problems
• with the opportunity to demonstrate
  ability to
• Perform
• Use processes of learning
• Apply knowledge in natural environments and
  situations

62
Job Analysis

• Making the Match

63
Making the Match

• Making an effective match between an individual
  and a job requires
• Understanding the consumer through ongoing
  collection of assessment data, including
  information about preferences, experiences,
  skills, current adjustment, strengths, personal
  contacts, etc., is updated with each new job
  experience.
• Understanding potential jobs and work settings
  through job analyses.

64
Making the Match

• Researching a job through a job analysis provides
  information to the consumer so that he/she is
  better prepared to make informed decisions about
  disability disclosure.
• Most importantly, it lays the foundation for
  identifying and requesting job accommodations and
  supports to facilitate successful job placements.
  

65
Job Analysis

• What is a job analysis?
• A job analysis is a detailed study of the work
  performed, the facilities required, the working
  conditions, and the skills required to complete a
  specific job.

66
Purpose of a Job Analysis Employer Perspective

• A job analysis provides an objective basis for
  hiring, evaluating, training, accommodating and
  supervising employees, to determine
• purpose-the reason for the job,
• essential functions-the job duties which are
  critical or fundamental to the performance of the
  job,
• job setting-the work station and conditions where
  the essential functions are performed, and
• job qualifications-the minimal skills an
  individual must possess to perform the essential
  functions.
• http//www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/17/11928/1
  1928-11928/4605?PrintFriendlyYes

67
What Aspects of a Job are Analyzed?

• Duties and Tasks
• The basic unit of a job is the performance of
  specific tasks and duties. Information to be
  collected about these items may include
  frequency, duration, effort, skill, complexity,
  equipment, standards, etc.
• Source for this section http//www.job-analysis.n
  et/G000.htm

68
What Aspects of a Job are Analyzed?

• Environment
• This may have a significant impact on the
  physical requirements to be able to perform a
  job. The work environment may include unpleasant
  conditions such as offensive odors and
  temperature extremes. There may also be definite
  risks to the incumbent such as noxious fumes,
  radioactive substances, hostile and aggressive
  people, and dangerous explosives.

69
What Aspects of a Job are Analyzed?

• Tools and Equipment
• Some duties and tasks are performed using
  specific equipment and tools. Equipment may
  include protective clothing.

70
What Aspects of a Job are Analyzed?

• Relationships
• Supervision given and received.
• Relationships with internal or external people.

71
What Aspects of a Job are Analyzed?

• Requirements
• The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's)
  required to perform the job. While an incumbent
  may have higher KSA's than those required for the
  job, a Job Analysis typically only states the
  minimum requirements to perform the job.

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Job Analysis Mapping the Course

• Determining employers willingness to provide
  accommodations.
• Evaluating formal and informal supports available
  to employees.
• Observing work culture or supervisors and
  employers.
• Identifying potential need for employer education.

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73
Benefits of a Job Analysis

• It can be very beneficial to have the consumer
  complete job analysis forms, with supports that
  they may desire.
• This can be used as part of the career
  development process (exploration).
• It can help the consumers be better prepared to
  make informed choices about job placement
  options.
• It should not be used to screen out
  opportunities, only to screen in opportunities.
• It should not delay job placement.

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Contact Information

• Joan Kester, Human Resource Development
  Specialist
• The George Washington University
• 202-489-7112
• Jkester_at_gwu.edu
• This information is the intellectual property of
  the George Washington University and is intended
  for training purposes only.