Pathway to Employment
Explore the world of work in this year-long program. Discover what types of employment or volunteer opportunities are best suited to you. Pathway to Employment helps you identify your strong points, skills, interests and job goals.
Pathway to Employment is open to you if you are leaving high school, receiving day habilitation or pre-vocational services or are interested in getting and keeping a job.
You can explore the work world through job shadowing, internships, and volunteering. You will learn how to apply for jobs and volunteer positions, prepare a resume and get ready for interviews. We will help you find the right spot for you and we'll make sure you learn how to get to your new position. Your aim may be a competitive job making the minimum wage or more, or it may be a volunteer position.
The process centers around you. You will identify a realistic career or vocational path for yourself and develop a plan to reach your goals. Our staff will help you get there.
Success Stories
Learn about some success stories from our Pathway to Employment program. Meet four people who went through the program. Hear what they learned about job requirements and how to prepare to be a successful employee.
Brian's Road
Bolton's Byway
Tim's Trail
Darcy's Direction
Community Based Prevocational Services
Prevocational services are available to you if you want to work, but need extra help to develop the skills to be successful in the workplace. These services address your vocational interests and can help you build on your strengths and overcome barriers to employment.
These services include support and training related to the ability to obtain and retain employment, excluding training on job tasks. You may or may not perform work for which you are paid while receiving prevocational services.
Career Specific Training Program
In September 2023, OPWDD awarded grants to seven service provider agencies across the state to support career-specific vocational training programs for people with developmental disabilities. Working together with area businesses and educational experts, these agencies are developing vocational training programs that combine with community-based vocational experiences available through the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver. The programs operate free-of-charge and require no more than five months to complete, with a minimum of 75 hours of training provided in each class session. Classes provide industry driven instruction and hands-on learning, while offering participants opportunities to boost their job readiness and confidence and attain certificates to enhance their resume.
Together, the training and vocational experiences will support people with disabilities to advance their employment skills and meet the demands of today’s employers. The ultimate goal of career-specific vocational training is to increase the number of people with developmental disabilities in competitive, integrated employment.
Career Specific Vocational Training Programs by Region
Region | Training Topic(s) | Agencies | |
Western NY and Finger Lakes | Hospitality | Community Services for Every1 | www.csevery1.com |
Central NY and North Country | Janitorial and Food Service | Access CNY Upstate Caring | https://www.accesscny.org/services/career-skills-training/
|
Capital Region and Hudson Valley | Service/ Hospitality and Retail | Access: Supports for Living Jawonio | |
New York City | Environmental Services | AHRC NYC | www.ahrcnyc.org |
Long Island | Office Skills and Custodial | FREE | www.familyres.org |