PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SPECIALIST - 12242024-64176

Job Information

State of Tennessee Job Information

LOCATION OF(1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, REHABILITATION SERVICES DIVISION, MADISON COUNTY

For more information, please visit the link below:

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/HRC0012644_PreEmploy_Transition_Spec_Madison.pdf

This is a hybrid position.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree and one year of full-time professional-level experience in social work, human services work, counseling, clergy, education, nursing, or full-time rehabilitation experience involved in determining eligibility criteria, counseling, or planning rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities.

Substitution of Education for Experience: Additional graduate coursework in vocational rehabilitation, a social science, or a behavioral science may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of one year.

Substitution of Experience for Education: None

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

1. Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment;
2. Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority;
3. Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority;
4. Supply a fingerprint sample prescribed by the TBI based criminal history records check;
5. Submit to a review of their status on the Department of Healths vulnerable persons registry.

Overview

Summary: Under general supervision, is responsible for professional pre-employment transition services work of average difficulty; and performs related work as required

Distinguishing Features: An employee in this class coordinates and/or provides services to individuals with disabilities in the selection, preparation for, and planning of individual pre-employment transition services and arranges the delivery of services for recipients in conjunction with Local Education Agencies and other community partners. This work is performed with independence of judgment in using a wide variety of social and vocational resources in achieving objectives. This work is performed in accordance with federal regulations and departmental policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

1. Resolves conflicts between providers and recipients and/or between providers and Local Education Agencies to ensure timely and efficient service delivery.
2. Maintains respectful and productive work environment within the assigned work unit to minimize disputes and optimize performance.
3. Negotiates clearly defined plans for services implementation to ensure all parties involved understand expectations.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

1. Maintaining professional working relationships with peers, Local Education Agencies, and community partners to ensure smooth and effective team operations.
2. Networks verbally, electronically, or face-to-face with internal and external partners to ensure open dialogues exist and to maintain a unified effort.
3. Maintains professional working relationships with upper management to allow for open communication and optimum program progression.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

1. Schedules activities and program outside of school hours to provide accommodations for additional opportunities for recipients to receive available services.
2. Schedules events such as transition fairs, college visits, parent nights, college nights, benefits to work, American Job Center Career Coach opportunities and any other needed program to assist with delivery of services.
3. Maintains personal schedule to ensure availability to attend Individualized Educational Planning meetings and Vocational Rehabilitation meetings to obtain referrals, provide information, and assist in planning of services for recipients.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

1. Plans and provides pre-employment services when necessary to assist the recipient in securing suitable employment or pursuing post-secondary education.
2. Reviews service data reports to ensure information is accurate and quality services are being provided to recipients.
3. Monitors recipient participation and provider follow through via observation and reports to ensure recipient is receiving requested services.
4. Monitor participation in work experiences once a suitable position has been obtained with follow-up continuing through case closure.
5. Monitors service data reports to substantiate receipt of service by recipient.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

1. Provides outreach and liaison activities with referral sources, schools, other educational institutions and community groups to provide long-term positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
2. Presents electronic or in-person workshops/training programs to recipients as part of service delivery.
3. Presents information and responds to verbal, written, and electronic inquiries about pre-employment transition services to community groups, referral sources, and schools.
4. Presents before various groups and conducts in-service workshops/training programs to provide education on available services.
5. Develops and manages partnerships with local workforce development boards, one-stop centers, and businesses to allow for the development of effective job exploration, work based learning activities, and work opportunities for students with disabilities, including internships, summer employment, and other employment opportunities available throughout the school year.
6. Provides an in-person or electronic orientation to pre-employment transition services for parents/guardians, students, and staff in groups and individually as appropriate.
7. Advocates for, plans, and coordinates services from the Vocational Rehabilitation team and community providers and makes appropriate referrals to community resources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or, Subordinates:

1. Works in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams in inter and/or intra agency settings to foster open dialogue.
2. Participates in mentoring new hires and Vocational Rehabilitation student interns in field placement positions to foster development and growth.
3. Communicates progress, areas of concern, and needed resources to supervisor to ensure statewide service delivery.
4. Communicates with assigned Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and supervisor as needed to ensure the success of the program.
5. Assists Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in the completion of applications for Vocational Rehabilitation service eligibility determination.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

1. Maintaining professional working relationships with peers, Local Education Agencies, and community partners to ensure smooth and effective team operations.
2. Evaluates documentation on student's disability obtained from families, medical providers, and/or Local Education Agencies to confirm compliance with federal law.

Thinking Creatively:

1. Designs and implements alternative service delivery options to meet individual recipient needs.
2. Develops, participates in, and organizes transition fairs to promote pre-employment transition services.
3. Develops and implements marketing materials and strategies to increase awareness of the availability of services and enhance opportunities for recipients.
4. Develops outreach activities to locate potential program referrals.
5. Researches and investigates comparable benefits through community involvement to enhance the quality and availability of pre-employment transition services.
6. Researches, explores, and proposes curriculum/activities to providers and contractors to implement pre-employment transition services.
7. Researches and explores options within other local and national pre-employment transition programs electronically and through networking.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others:

1. Analyze assessments to determine client's strengths, barriers, aptitudes, and capabilities to assist with pre-employment experiences.
2. Informs recipients of their rights and the means by which they may express concerns and seek remedies for any dissatisfaction.
3. Informs recipients of the terms and conditions for the provision of pre-employment transition services to foster understanding of program.
4. Explains documents, forms, or other relevant materials to recipients and their representatives to foster understanding of program.

Getting Information:

1. Obtains permission from parents/guardians, conservators, or adult students to proceed with confirmation of student's disability.
2. Collects service data from schools, Community Rehabilitation Providers, businesses, and other community partners to verify pre-employment transition service delivery.
3. Observes recipient participating in pre-employment transition services to assist in the collection of service data.
4. Obtains and confirms existing information on student's disability by obtaining medical, and/or psychological information from families, medical providers, and/or Local Education Agencies to provide pre-employment transition services.
5. Receives referral from Local Education Agency, student, or other community partner to request pre-employment transition services.

Interacting with Computers:

1. Administers assessments to recipients electronically, orally, or on paper to determine the area of pre-employment transition services needed.
2. Completes and updates electronic form within electronic case management system to demonstrate area of services provided.
3. Inputs case notes into electronic case management system as needed to document services provided.
4. Inputs personal information, employment information, and time worked into electronic employee portal.
5. Scans recipient information, reports, and documents into electronic case management system to document individual's receipt of services.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

1. Participates in training experiences electronically and/or in person designed to enhance professional competency in Vocational Rehabilitation.
2. Participates in available personal development activities, such as webinars, seminars, conferences, and mandated and voluntary training opportunities.
3. Participates in available in-service opportunities to enhance knowledge of Local Education Agencies.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies:

1. Peer Relationships
2. Ethics and Values
3. Approachability
4. Conflict Management
5. Organizing
6. Drive for Results
7. Written Communications
8. Problem Solving
9. Dealing with Paradox
10. Presentation Skills

Knowledge:

1. Intermediate knowledge of principles of providing customer service.
2. Intermediate knowledge of career counseling and guidance for individuals with disabilities and limitations.
3. Intermediate knowledge of clerical procedures including basic word processing and spreadsheet software and managing files and records.
4. Basic knowledge of methods of promoting and marketing services.
5. Basic knowledge of principles and methods of training and teaching individuals with disabilities.

Skills:

1. Intermediate speaking and communication skills.
2. Intermediate critical thinking and problem solving skills.
3. Intermediate active listening skills.
4. Basic reading comprehension skills.
5. Intermediate judgement and decision making skills.
6. Intermediate time management skills.
7. Intermediate writing skills.
8. Basic service orientation skills to include individuals with and without disabilities.
9. Intermediate social perceptiveness skills.
10. Intermediate negotiation skills.
11. Intermediate negotiation skills.
12. Intermediate monitoring skills to assess individuals and organizations to foster improvement.

Abilities:

1. Intermediate oral expression abilities.
2. Intermediate problem sensitivity abilities.
3. Intermediate time sharing abilities.
4. Intermediate written expression abilities.
5. Intermediate written comprehension abilities.
6. Basic ability of deductive reasoning to apply and interpret policy and procedures.

Tools & Equipment

1. Personal Computer with internet access
2. Telephone
3. Fax Machine
4. Multi-Function Printer
5. Scanner