Planning a vocational skills transition for students with disabilities should be done backwards. Initially the long-term goals must be determined. This is done by considering where the student wants to work, including his future career target. From there, a parent or teacher will be able to think about a clearer path on how to effectively prepare the student to achieve these goals.
Help develop the student's present-year goals. Remember to just help him develop his goals but not actually make them for him. Engage the student in a friendly conversation about the things he needs to do to accomplish his post-school goals. At the end of the year, it is ideal for students to already develop their functioning skills, which are necessary for independent living, such as managing money, cooking, shopping and using public transportation.
During your conversation ask the students what assistance they need to get to their year goals and if they have someone in mind whom they think can help them. When you have all these pieces of information, do your own assessments on what type of services the student needs, including training, personal needs, financial assistance, legal and individual counseling or improvement of leisure skills.
The main element of a successful vocational skill transition planning is a complete transdisciplinary vocational evaluation. This includes the integration of a variety of assessments from educational institutions and community personnel such as teachers, psychologists, counselors and others. The goal of conducting a vocational evaluation is to give the student enough of an adjustment period. In the absence of a comprehensive assessment, it will be difficult to determine the student's needs and how best to address them.