Employment

Connecting Kentucky to employment, workforce information, education and training. The Kentucky Career Center stands ready to assist Kentuckians with disabilities in achieving suitable employment and independence. Kentucky Career Center offers a comprehensive range of services for people with disabilities.

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) prepare youth for transition into adulthood, for college enrollment and/or successful employment. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) states that public school students ages 14-21, are entitled to receive Pre-Employment Transition Services at no personal cost. Pre-ETS include: Job Exploration Counseling, Post-Secondary Counseling, Self-Advocacy Instruction, Work-Based Learning Experiences, and Workplace Readiness Training.

The Kentucky Department of Workforce Investment, University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, and other committed project partners are leading Kentucky’s RETAIN Demonstration Project. This collaborative effort is known as the RETAINing Kentucky’s Workforce through Universal Design. Building on state efforts including Kentucky Work Matters, Employment First, and the Call to Action to Meet Commonwealth Workforce Needs, RETAIN Kentucky will use peer support, assistive technology and universal design to promote quality, coordinated health and employment-related stay-at-work/return-to-work (SAW/RTW) services. RETAIN Kentucky service coordinators will work directly with employers to assess the impact of SAW/RTW activities and help workers facing illness or injury remain in or return to the workforce.

What is Supported Employment? Kentucky has over 80 entities that provide supported employment. Some are freestanding agencies that only provide supported employment. Others provide other services in addition to supported employment. When seeking supported employment, you may begin by talking with supported employment providers (KY Supported Employment Provider List). Alternatively, your first step may be contacting the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) where your OVR eligibility will be determined and referrals made to supported employment providers. Regardless, it is important to interview supported employment providers to learn about their ways of approaching employment services. As is true for all types of services, there is a significant range of quality

Transition is the “exit” out of a child’s secondary school to the adult world. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that children with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living. One strategy for ensuring a successful transition, is planning. As part of IDEA, schools are required to provide transition planning to help the student identify interests, strengths, preferences and needs. Transition planning also means identifying possible post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, and/or community participation. Transition is also developing a coordinated set of activities for a student that will help him or her to achieve those goals.

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation assists Kentuckians with disabilities to achieve suitable employment and independence. The office employs approximately 140 rehabilitation counselors in over 50 offices covering all 120 counties in Kentucky.

Zoom Group was created to provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities opportunities to work and engage socially in their community. They have been providing supports for individuals with disabilities since 1986. The mission of Zoom Group is to assist persons with disabilities to explore, create, and realize their journey.