By
Stephen C. Schultz, BS, CAC
Scott C. Schultz, J.D., MBA
Jared C. Schultz, PhD
Stephen C. Schultz, BS, CAC
Scott C. Schultz, J.D., MBA
Jared C. Schultz, PhD
Work. It is a part of life that has an immense impact on
everyone. It plays a significant role in our identities, our happiness, and our
feeling of being connected in our communities. In most cases, people tend to
wander a bit through their teenage years, trying a variety of jobs, and
refining their interests and vocational goals. We have found that for
adolescents involved in therapy or receiving residential treatment, this
“traditional” way of establishing what they want to do is disrupted.
Often these teens, while bright and intelligent, find
themselves becoming disenfranchised with school prior to their involvement in
therapy. They lose sight of a college education and gravitate to thoughts and
behaviors contrary to their family values. Sometimes there is a tendency to use
substances, eating or lack thereof and sex to escape the emotional pain that
soon follows. Parents intervene and start the teen in therapy. Most of the time
there is a positive outcome and the teens are reinserted into a healthier
parent/child relationship.
The interesting thing is that work during adolescence plays
a powerful role in their development. Though the therapy and recovery efforts
are positive, in essence, they have reduced access to one of the most positive
opportunities for emotional growth. There may also be developmental or emotional concerns
such at ASD, ADHD, Anxiety and Depression that play a role. Often "Special Needs" make it difficult for short term experience in the workplace and long term planning by the family.
So, my brother Jared and I created Vocational and Career
Evaluation (VCE) to assist adolescents and young adults to engage the process
of vocational and career development. The following points are critical to our
process of career evaluation and planning.
Individualize
Assessment and Planning
The process of finding a vocational and career direction is
more complex than simply picking a job. We begin with an assessment process
that includes gathering any clinical information, psychological testing and
general insight from parents. We then meet with the student to determine
interests, abilities, values and we do a work related social skills assessment. These
standardized assessments are supplemented by a semi-structured interview with
the individual, and collecting additional information regarding her or his
preferences for work environments, personal temperaments, academic performance
and interests, and willingness to invest in training activities.
Match is the Key
to Success
The key to success in any vocation or career is the extent
to which it matches a person’s interests, abilities, aptitudes, and
preferences. We take the results from the standardized assessments, and the contextual
clinical information collected, and identify a career cluster with multiple
jobs that may become a goal for the individual. With the information we collect
we are able to calculate a Job Match Index, or the extent to which the
suggested job matches the interests of the individual. Not only does this
provide the highest chance for success, but can also provide areas of
competence the individual can explore on his or her own, or with a counselor.
Requires Effort
This process still requires the individual to invest energy
and effort to have a positive outcome. The individual
needs to take responsibility for her or his own vocational future by following
through on the plan that is developed, completing assignments, and continually
evaluating her or his own progress.
Support All
Stakeholders
Vocational and career success in a person’s life is the
result of many people. Our approach is to provide recommendations for the
individual, family members, therapist, educational consultant and other professional
support staff who may be working with the student. Everyone has a role.
Everyone can have an impact. The chances for success increase as everyone with
an interest knows their roles, knows what to do, and can support each other.
A Lifespan
Approach
Our approach is not about getting a job. It is about
building awareness and focus on long-term vocation and careers. We do this by
teaching the process of work identity development, and planning for natural
transitions and changes that will occur throughout the individual’s life. We
believe that if we teach this process to individuals and their families, then
when the transitions and changes happen (and they will) everyone will be
prepared to work together and navigate them well.
I have provided some links below to assist in learning more
about the process of obtaining a career evaluation.
Connecting to Careers - Short Video
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