It is crucial for students to be knowledgeable of the different career choices available to them. Their career goals should be centered on their interests and skills. Vocational education and training is learning a trade or skill. Vocational education is also referred to Career and Technology Education (CTE). The following websites provide useful information for students looking to further their skills and careers without having to attend a traditional four year university.
This informational article explains what vocational education/training entails. It has many aspects incorporated within vocational training. Students may learn vocational skills in high school, private institutions, and through state and national programs. This article discusses the positive outcomes for those whom take advantage of these programs in high school and early adult lives. It also discusses alternative way to obtain specific occupational training such as through apprenticeships, military service, community colleges, and distance learning courses. Traditional vocational educations in addition to those alternatives all provide opportunities to improve job skills and employment possibilities. This article is helpful for youth with disabilities and their families with transition related decisions because it goes into depth the various choices vocational education offers to individuals.
National Job Corps
Job Corps-North Texas Branch
Job Corps is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Job Corps is designed to help those between the ages of 16 to 24 that qualify as low income with a no-cost education and career technical training. This site is also helpful for youth with disabilities and their families because it allows them to see the various options available to them. Job Corps is the nation's largest career technical training and education program for young people. Hands-on training in career technical areas include but are not limited to automotive and machine repair, construction, finance and business, health care, hospitality, information technology, and manufacturing. All training programs are aligned with industry certifications and are designed to meet the requirements of today's careers. Courses in social skills, independent living, and employability skills are offered to all students. This helps students transition into the workplace. Furthermore, the site includes success stories of individuals who used the skills they learned at a Job Corps to begin or expand on their career.
The Arc- National http://www.thearc.org
The Arc of Texas http://www.thearcoftexas.org
The Arc of Dallas County www.arcdallas.org
Mission Statement-The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
The Arc of Dallas’ website offers various services including continuing education, assistive technology (AT), and social and leadership activities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The continuing education program is called Arc Life (Learning is Fun & Educational). Arc LIFE offers classes for achieving independent living for students ages 5 and older. The AT Program offers computer classes with adaptive software and devices.
