Handouts

Section 511 of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides limitations on the use of subminimum wage for students still in high school and youth under the age of 25. Educators and families need to know what requirements need to be met in order to be compliant with the new law. OVR’s Section 511 Specialists will provide an overview, how the law impacts students/youth with disabilities, their families, and local school districts as well as how the local OVR Office can help to be assessed for “competitive integrated employment”.

Presenter: Bccanti, LeFevre, McGrath

This session will provide participants with an overview of the development of the ThinkBIG! ‘tool box’. The ThinkBIG! project is the result of a consortium of community organizations and local education agencies that encourage students of all abilities to explore career options and begin planning for life “after the school bus stops coming”, with a focus on third and fourth grade students. ThinkBIG! provides a ‘tool box’ of time-limited activities to 3rd & 4th grade teachers in order to help their students identify early vocational interests by connecting career exploration lessons to Career Education & Work (CEW) standards in an effort to meet 3rd grade benchmarks.

Presenter: Multiple Presenters

The Lehigh Valley Employment Coalition (LVEC) is a collaboration of agencies and educators committed to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities through employment opportunities. This session will provide a history of LVEC's accomplishments with focus on enhancing opportunities for high quality transition services to students starting at age 14.

Presenter: Multiple Presenters

This workshop will teach the basics of the JobGateway website. The presenters will demonstrate how to create and upload resumes, conduct job searches, and apply for employment positions. They will also explore the job searching tools that are available including the Virtual Job Shadowing and Big Interview.

Presenter: Sharon Angelo, Sharon Tropp

Youth and family members are encouraged to attend this session to learn about the resources and supports provided by the PA Center for Workforce Information and Analysis including: Occupational Data Sets, High Priority Occupations, PA Career Guides and Pennsylvania’s Job Gateway system. Included in this interactive session will be a description and demonstration on the basics of Job Gateway including: how to set up a profile in Job Gateway, how to create or upload a resume, how to search for and apply for jobs, and how to use the system to locate employers, or suitable internship or apprenticeship opportunities.

Presenter: Ed Legge, James Martini

Independent/community living comes with certain safety risks. During this session, participants will learn how those risks can be reduced with appropriate planning, communication, and education, starting during transition in high school. Individuals with disabilities, their families and local First Responder entities need to be on the same page when it comes to living safely in the community which requires thoughtful planning and open communication. Participants will leave the session with the knowledge of what help might be needed in an emergency, along with the transition skills that should carry over into community living - both at home and on the job.

Presenter: Francine Hogan, Diana Smaglik

So you want to find a job or help someone find a job? This session will provide participants with a guide through Discovery, job finding, application, and interviewing process, and how to negotiate conditions for success. Hear from a panel of hiring agents and job seekers that will present and answer questions. Participants will leave with resources to find DREAM jobs!

Presenter: John Seely

Are you interested in making sure students receive quality financial education in school and transition with at least basic financial knowledge and skills? This session will introduce participants to a new resource for educators, share ways to advocate for financial education for students, and introduce other resources.

Presenter: Hilary Hunt, Becky MacDicken

The transition years are filled with constant change and uncertainty; however, they are also filled with exploration, inspiration, and growth. Learning techniques to lower stress and build resiliency are crucial to leading a healthy lifestyle. Presenters will examine patterns of stress and provide hands-on techniques to help young people build resilience.

Presenter: Perri Rosen, Marisa Vicere

This session will introduce participants to a new guidance document from the PA Bureau of Special Education. The session will address assessment, identification of need, implementation of service, and monitoring for continued need for eligible students. Also, the presenters will explore how to create partnerships with community providers.

Presenter: Mike Minor, Amy Smith