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Transitioning From College To Work

LDA FACT SHEET

Transitioning from college to work, like transitioning through secondary education, is a process. Students must begin this process early and transfer their knowledge of the disability into the world of employment. Students should consider the following:

  • What is the impact of the LD on job performance?
  • How or when does one disclose a disability?
  • What are typical accommodations made in the workforce?
  • What kinds of social demands and interactions are needed?

Students must recognize the disability's impact on both educational and career choices. An important variable in relation to job satisfaction is a clear understanding of one's disability. Knowledge of one's disability and how it affects work are critical to satisfying employment. In addition to clearly understanding their disability, students need to identify their goals. They must analyze vocational goals in relation to their disability. What kind of tasks will the job entail? What will be the interaction between the job tasks and the disability? When answering these questions, the individual should evaluate the work environment, the type and amount of colleague interaction, specific tasks one must perform, and how one is evaluated.

AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL

Choosing a Major/Career

Choosing a major, and the career that ensues, is a difficult and anxiety provoking task for most students. Students can seek help with this process by doing the following:

  • Read the catalog and course descriptions carefully.
  • Work with your academic adviser and discuss the requirements for different majors.
  • Make an appointment with faculty members in the departments that interest you. Learn what kinds of jobs people who have graduated from these programs have gotten.
  • Investigate whether your school has any job shadowing or mentoring programs.
  • Consider doing an internship.
  • Meet with the disability service provider and discuss how your disability might be an issue in the work setting.

Skill Development

Students strengthen the likelihood for successful, satisfying employment by developing their basic skills and learning strategies. It is important for students to take advantage of reading and writing laboratories, and any other academic resources to enhance skills. One of the most important areas to develop is an understanding of available technologies. Many facets of the employment world rely on technology. The new technologies also offer many advances that can be useful accommodations for some individuals.

The Laws that Govern Employment

It is important for students to learn about the laws that recognize their rights to equal access and non-discrimination. They should clearly understand the aspects of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, which assure equal access and non-discrimination. It is not enough to merely know one's legal rights. Students must recognize how equal access applies to them individually, within that particular setting, and in relation to the disability. They need to ask themselves the following questions:

  • Is it necessary for me to disclose my disability in order to perform more efficiently
  • To whom do I disclose?
  • How do I disclose?
  • When do I disclose?
  • How do I negotiate accommodations?
  • Being able to articulate the effect of the disability in relation to the work environment is central to successful employment.

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT:

Develop a History of Work Experience

Look for opportunities to gain work experience. Some examples include:

  • Campus leadership opportunities, i.e. student government, mentoring programs, organization involvement, etc.
  • Work study positions on campus
  • Internships
  • Off-campus jobs that may be listed in the college career center
  • Summer jobs
  • Talk to family and friends about job opportunities

Understand the Job Culture

Every company or organization has its own unique culture. The culture consists of company rules, values, and beliefs, which are widely held but often unspoken.

  • Observe your co-workers
  • Know what is expected of you
  • Watch how others communicate and interact

Job Accommodations

Match job tasks with individual strengths and weaknesses to identify specific accommodations that will enhance job performance. Accommodations that may be used in the workplace include:

  • Tape recorders
  • Taped materials
  • Dictation
  • Written instructions
  • Demonstration of tasks/assignments
  • Diagrams to explain an assignment
  • Extended time on projects
  • Separate work space
  • Spelling and grammar check software for computers
  • A word processor
  • Color coding of files
  • Talking computers or spell checkers

Identify and tap into your support system

Family, loved ones, friends and co-workers can be a critical variable to successful employment.

  • Devise an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
    Clients of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR – in some states called Rehabilitative Services Administration, or RSA) can work with counselors to design an individualized plan regarding employment, assessments, and services related to employment.

Develop job skills

  • Job shadowing
  • Coaching/Mentoring
  • Seek assistance from the following:

Learning Disabilities Association of America
4156 Library Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349
Phone (412) 341-1515 Fax (412) 344-0224
www.LDAAmerica.org

© 2004 LDA of America