I can Search for Jobs on the Internet: A Web Site That Helps Youth in Transition Identify Preferred Employment

Despite the efforts of many transition teachers and developers of model programs, some students' vision of their careers seems to lack clarity, direction, or realism. Some young adults with disabilities have difficulty identifying preferred employment that can lead to achievable careers, or they may identify occupations for which they lack the prerequisite skills. Youth with significant disabilities may have problems correctly interpreting information about jobs. As they approach adulthood, these students need employment information and opportunities to express their preferences. They also need actual experience sampling jobs. Yet, although community-based job samples are valuable, they are time-consuming and expensive. Placement in a job that a student dislikes can establish a negative attitude that can affect future placements. Students need a program that gives them maximum information in the shortest possible time, thereby allowing them to select preferred jobs. Selecting a preferred job may increase a student's probability of success in a community job sample and eventual employment. This article discusses Your Employment Selections (YES), a program that uses motion video on a CD-ROM and allows students to view numerous jobs and then select a short list of 5 to 10 that they prefer. This program presents 2 to 4 minutes of video about each of 120 jobs. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)