Career Services receives partial funding from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to provide employment supports for people who are at least 18 years of age and have a developmental/intellectual disability and are registered with Developmental Services Ontario.
Revenue generated through our business helps to offset additional costs and may allow Career Services to open our doors to support individuals with other barriers to employment.
Career Services has the following eligibility criteria:
• An adult (18+) who has a developmental/intellectual disability.
• An adult (18+) who faces a barrier to employment.
• A student who has an employment barrier and is looking for a summer work experience (17+).
• Able to get to and from Career Services’ locations as well as work sites.
• Prepared to follow a work schedule on a regular basis. You may work part-time or full-time, but reliability is a basic work expectation.
• Independent in your basic needs. Career Services is not able to provide personal support in the areas of eating, dressing, hygiene, or medication.
• Ability to be independent in a work/volunteer setting (this can happen as we move along the path to employment).
• Motivated to work and willing to accept instruction, direction, correction, and advice from your job coach and employer.
How to apply to Career Services:
• The first step is to either call or e-mail us!
• The second step is to join our Client Services Manager for a friendly, relaxed consultation meeting. This is a great way to learn more about our services and for Career Services to learn more about you and your goals.
• Together, a decision is made about moving forward with an intake interview – this is the paperwork side of our service but do not worry – there are no right or wrong answers to the questions being asked!
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SERVICE PATHS & YOUR JOURNEY 2 EMPLOYMENT
Career Services is dedicated to offering personalized supports for your unique path to employment.
Let's explore our services together to find out where you are on your journey and how we can assist you.
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Discover the information and connections you need to shape your future.
School 2 Work assists students transitioning to adult services and/or the workforce.
Our Youth Transitions Specialist works closely with local high schools to provide on-site supports and services.
Explore employment and job preparation through:
Ready2Learn – Learn about the skill sets and work habits employers look for when hiring. Sessions are interactive and presented in small groups.
summerWORK$ – Prepare for the world of work. This program is available for students 17 years and older who are returning to school in the fall. Students are encouraged to apply if they are motivated to work but require additional supports to make work a reality.
Supported Referrals – Receive assistance with applying for essential documents and connecting to community programs and services.
“Our Thousand Islands Secondary School students are so very blessed to have the transition supports of Career Services! Our partnership with Career Services has made all the difference for some of our highest needs students!” ~ Anne Walker, Special Education Teacher
“Ready2Learn was really helpful to me. I felt supported the whole time. I got to meet new people and learn more about work. I had fun and it was a good experience.” ~ Scott
Learn about yourself while you explore the world of work and career options.
Ready2Learn – Learn about the skill sets and work habits employers look for when hiring. Sessions are interactive and presented in small groups.
RU Ready – Discover and learn about the world of work through this hands-on experience. Get ready to learn, discover and explore!
Ready4Work – Earn while you learn! Ready4Work offers a time-framed work experience in our industry, with job coaching supports available as needed.
VjobReady – Experience the world of work through our interactive virtual reality training that is simply … Out of this World!
MentorAbility – Explore possible careers or job choices. Learn more about occupations through observation and conversations with a local employer.
“Ready2Learn was really helpful to me. I felt supported the whole time. I got to meet new people and learn more about work. I had fun and it was a good experience.” ~ Scott
“When I started RU Ready I didn’t feel like I had any work skills. But by doing RU Ready – I learned I had skills I didn’t even know about! Some new things I learned were money management, stocking shelves and time management. RU Ready really helped me, and I think it will help you too.” ~ Mikayla
“I got to learn new tasks in Ready4Work. I did not know how to do the job before, but I learned about the speed of the line and that I had to work at a certain rate. It was a good learning experience, and I enjoyed it” ~ Evan
Develop skills, prepare to meet employer expectations and learn how to job search.
Employment Preparation – Learn about employer expectations, develop a resume and prepare for job interviews.
Ready4Work – Earn while you learn! Ready4Work offers a time-framed work experience in our industry, with job coaching supports available as needed.
VjobReady – Experience the world of work through our interactive virtual reality training that is simply …. Out of this World!
MentorAbility – Explore possible careers or job choices. Learn more about occupations through observation and conversations with a local employer.
“Career Services helped me reach my employment and life goals. They helped me understand what employers expect, they helped me apply for job and taught me how to job search on my own. They helped me get my first summer job and the job I have now had for more than 3 years. I recommend if you are struggling with life and don’t know what you want to do, the great people at Career Services can help you find something that you are good at.” ~ Ben
Participate in your job search.
Whether it’s your first job or re-entry into the workforce, work with your Employment Developer to search and apply for jobs that match your skills and abilities.
“I would recommend Career Services to help you to find a job if you are struggling, they helped me find a job. They give excellent services to people who have disabilities like myself. They helped me develop the skills I needed to get and keep my job.” ~ Jonathan
Access our supports to help you achieve success and independence in your new job.
Job Coaching can include:
- investigating and accessing additional supports
- Investigating the possibility of funding options
- on-site or virtual job coaching assistance with onboarding and adjusting to your new job
- assistance with job modifications and job accommodations
Job Coaching supports will fade out as you gain confidence and independence at work!
“Career Services is good at getting people jobs. They helped me prepare for work and interviews. They connected me with jobs. One job I had for 5 years, and I have been in my current job for 7 years. At work, I am happy they provided me the opportunity to learn how to use the cash register and the scanning process for returning over-stock.” ~ Bree