By Michael Kaufman, Ph.d
“Have you ever seen the look on somebody's face the day they get a job? They look like they can fly. It’s not about the paycheck, it's about respect. It’s about looking in the mirror and knowing you've done something valuable with your day.”

That’s the way actor Kevin Kline’s character describes getting a job in the 1993 comedy classic “Dave.” And, he is absolutely correct.

Every young person anticipates their first job. It does so much more than put money in their pockets. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and raises their self-esteem. As educators and parents, it is vital that we do as much as possible to help our students make the transition from high school to young adulthood and into the job market.

Preparing them for the workforce is a greater challenge when our students have more than the usual teenage hurdles to overcome – hurdles like learning deficiencies, emotional challenges or physical and cognitive disabilities. For students with “special needs,” making the transition requires more planning, specialized programs, and cooperation between schools, the business community, parents and the students themselves.

At high school-level programs that Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI) operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia for special needs students, we understand that real-life work experience is the best way for them to develop the skills to succeed after they leave school.

On-the-job experiences – either in school or in the community – are vital to help special needs students develop a solid work ethic, an understanding of teamwork, of time management, and the value of networking with potential employers.

Practical experience allows them to identify their interests and strengths, learn to behave appropriately in the workplace and decide what job accommodations or supports they may need. It also helps them build a resume to make them more marketable to potential employers.

Combining tried-and-true methods and our own creative techniques, SESI Schools are doing a phenomenal job of preparing our special-needs students to enter the workforce. Here are just some of those ways:
•    Using Facebook and Twitter, former students offer “virtual mentorship” for current students
     about their college and work experiences.
•    Teachers at our High Road Schools and Sierra Schools assist students with “career
      assessment” to gauge their job interests then guide students to appropriate classroom
      instruction and help them set realistic goals to enter those fields.
•    Students at our High Road Schools and Sierra Schools receive “life skills lessons” to help them
     learn about budgeting, banking, grocery shopping, cooking, driver education, using public
     transportation and navigating the job application process.
•    SESI Schools partner with a variety of businesses and trade-unions in their various locales to
     expose our students to real-life work experiences and on-the-job social interaction.  Our
     private sector partners include software developers, hospitals, banks, graphic arts and
     photography studios, child-care centers, fitness centers, restaurants, caterers and a number
     of other large and small businesses.
•    Using driver education manuals, employee handbooks, electronic manuals, and “How-To”
     guidebooks, our high school students receive remedial instruction in reading with emphasis on
     fluency, phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension and vocabulary.
•    High school-age students can take non-credit college courses to explore their career options
     in computer programming, photography, video production, graphic arts, dance and a host of
     other fields.
•    Students who are not old enough to work can opt to participate in job-training program
     offered by various retailers like Target, Macys and Wal-Mart.
One of the keys to our success – and more importantly to our students’ success – is teacher-involvement and guidance. Working with students and their parents, teachers help special needs students to realistically assess their interests and their abilities, determine what job supports or special training they may need, and guide them to set practical career goals.

The other key to success is forging partnerships with local employers and involving them in our curriculum as instructors, guest lecturers or on advisory committees. These partnerships allow employers and educators to share information and advice. It also introduces employers to the notion of hiring young people with learning deficiencies and other types of disabilities.

These partnerships can also open doors for special needs students. Students can find “community mentors” who work in a variety of interesting fields, or students may get access to paid or unpaid internships, or to volunteer or “job shadowing” opportunities. These are effective introductions for high school-age students to the workplace and can be valuable steppingstones to future employment.

    At SESI Schools across the country we are always seeking new and creative ways to prepare our students to meet the challenges of finding a job and living as independently as possible. The more we learn from one another and the better we do as teachers and parents to prepare them – the better our students will do. As Kevin Kline says in Dave, “You don't really know how much you can do until you, stand up and try.” This is as true for us as teachers and parents, as it is for our students.

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Michael Kaufman is President & CEO of Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI) of Yardley, Pa., one of the nation’s premiere providers of special education for children with learning, language, social and behavioral challenges. More information about Specialized Education Services Inc. is available at http://www.sesi-schools.com.