Job coach services are designed to support students’ success as independent workers. Job coaches assist students with special needs who have the potential for independent employment, but need specialized, short-term, on-the-job support and training to succeed. Students work with job coaches to develop and integrate specific skills at the job site, including time management, organizational and social skills.

Referrals can be made through the student’s employment and transition representative (ETR), the work awareness and transition (WAT) teacher or the special education department chair at the student’s high school.

Job coaches support students by:

• Assisting student with initial introductions to job site supervisor and associated staff
• Facilitating student orientation to the work environment
• Providing one-to-one mentoring
• Ensures student worker and employer have clear expectations regarding assigned tasks/job duties
• Establishing a daily work routine and schedule
• Providing systematic training of specific job duties
• Modeling appropriate work-related behaviors
• Assisting the student in social integration and self-advocacy skills
• Increasing the student’s work speed
• Monitoring the student’s behavior at job site
• Teaching related skills (such as grooming, location of work area, restroom, etc.)
• Continuing to train the worker—maximizing work performance according to employer expectations and standards
• Gradually fading support as student is able to perform job task independently
• Assisting the student with identifying natural supports
• Providing instruction in conflict resolution
• Retraining student if work requirements or supervision changes

For more information about job coach services, contact:

The Office of Career and Transition Services at 571-423-4150