The Duties & Responsibilities of a Job Developer for Students With Disabilities

• A job developer transitions students with disabilities into the workforce. teacher & students image by Luisafer from Fotolia.com

  A job developer for students with disabilities does more than schedule a young person for a job interview. He delves into the teenager's passions and interests and then networks with employers to find an ideal match. He typically works in a high school or vocational rehabilitation agency, and may be referred to as a vocational counselor. Median income for these professionals was $51,050 as of May 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Assessment

• A job developer interacts closely with a disabled student to better understand his interests, skills, school achievements and physical conditions. The developer assesses his aptitudes, academic abilities and personality to identify realistic employment opportunities and any training needs. She guides him in building a resume and participating in mock interviews. She also coaches the student with job applications and may accompany him to the employment interview. A vocational counselor who assists students with disabilities, consults with family members during this transition from school to the workforce. Starting this process early -- sometimes two years before a special needs student enters the job market -- is more effective than waiting until his final year of high school, according to Vocational Services Inc.

Networking

• Building relationships with employers is critical among the duties and responsibilities of a job developer for students with disabilities. A school vocational counselor regularly meets with local business leaders to recommend students for specific job openings. A job developer stays in touch with managers after the hiring process, to monitor a student's performance. Diversity World website chronicled a job counselor's efforts to find employment for a teenager with epileptic seizures that could not be controlled with medicine. The girl's dream was to work in a music shop. The job developer campaigned tirelessly for her student. She finally located a business owner who not only hired the teenager, but also learned to respond to his new hire's health symptoms. The girl blossomed in her position.

Advocacy

• A job developer champions the rights of disabled students. These counselors try to inspire their local business communities to implement hiring practices that are fair to students and other adults with disabilities, says Diversity World in its online article titled "Close Encounters Of The Enlightening Kind." Attitudinal barriers represent the greatest obstacle facing this sector of the workforce, the website reports. Personal encounters with a special needs worker can become an eye-opener for a business leader who may have been influenced by stereotypes. For example, an executive might avoid hiring a wheelchair user until he crosses paths with another leader who also happens to use a wheelchair. And once a business director sees beyond a physical disability, he instills that awareness throughout his business.