Individualized transition services are a vital piece of the process when it comes to the post-secondary success of young adults with disabilities. Planning the implementation of those transition services for your students starts with being very familiar with your students’ strengths and interests. 

Some resources can assist you in helping your students research their career interests. When students are just starting in the transition process, there are some available resources, including the Charting the LifeCourse Focus on Transition to Adulthood document, that can help you with discussion starters on transition topics. Another resource, the Charting the LifeCourse Trajectory for Exploring, can help students list life experiences that are leading them to or moving them away from their vision for the future. There is also a Charting the LifeCourse Life Trajectory Tip Sheet for teachers or parents/guardians to review when assisting students.  Earlier this year, the IDOE Office of Special Education shared the Transition Planning Resource Guide 2020-2021. This document shares a variety of links to information on transition services. If you have a student who is beginning their career research the mySkills myFuture website is a great source for career exploration, training, and jobs that are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. This is a searchable resource with information on careers, including general description, details on salary and projected openings, typical training information, job duties, tools and technology required, etc. However, if you have a student who answers “I don’t know” to your question about what their career interests are, I would suggest looking at the My Next Move website. This is another searchable resource, but it also includes an interest survey, the O*Net Interest Profiler, that might help the students match a career to their interests.  

Ultimately, no matter what resource or tool you use, the goal of any of these resources is to assist you in having meaningful conversations with your students about their future. The Transition Planning Resource Guide has links to other interesting resources that are not highlighted here.  

Misty Crouch, Special Education Coordinator