Employment Services – Working Solutions

The Employment Services at TCI have been helping local businesses meet their unique staffing needs for over 12 years. Our support staff work closely with employers to ensure a mutually rewarding experience for both the Member and the community business.

An Employment Specialist works individually with each Member in all aspects of their job development, so they fully know each person that they are working with. These are the people who do the “person centered planning”, assessment, job development/business marketing and job coaching and work to make exemplary employees who become assets to their employer.

What is expected of you as a TCI employment Member:

• Have a desire to be competitively employed.
• Have the ability to remain engaged and motivated throughout the assessment and job development processes.
• Open to learn job skills under the direction of an Employment Specialist.
• Invested in learning, growing and doing one’s best.

Services – Employment Services may include the following:

Vocational Assessments

• Person Centered Planning that includes creating an inventory of skills that each member possesses.
• Aptitude testing that may assist the Member and employment staff understand Member skills and match those skills with potential employers.
• A situational assessment is a chance for you to practice a job at a community job site for a minimum of 2 hours. Members will perform at least 2 situational assessments in at least two different businesses, doing a real job at a real community business.
• TCI staff will work to provide one assessment task in an area of interest to you and another that’s something new to you or something you have not thought of.

Job Placement/Job Development
The Employment Specialist will provide timely assistance to locate appropriate employment based on a Members interests and skills.

The Employment Specialist will work with a Member on a one to one basis to assist in resume development, developing a job development strategy and marketing to various businesses. Employment Specialists will also work on skills such as interview skills, hygiene, appropriate attire and employer expectations.

Work Orientation and Job Coaching
When hired, the Employment Specialist will be work with the Member to understand you their job, help them to get to know co-workers, as well as work with Members to understand their employer’s expectations on the job. The Employment Specialist will work with Members until they attain proficiency on the job. This can range from several days to several months. As Members learn their job, the Employment Specialist may spend less time with the member as they gain in work skills.

The Employment Specialist will also assist Members with obtaining transportation to and from your job-site. In most cases, this will be some form of public transportation.

Employment Specialists will also assist in ensuring the benefits, such as SSI and SSDI are maintained and will work to ensure that changes in hours or pay have minimal impact on benefits.

Ongoing supports
Once hired and the Member is independent on the job, ongoing supports are provided to ensure that Members are continuing to be a valued employee at their place of work. This would include:

• Regularly scheduled site visits to observe a Member on the job, as well as provide time to meet with Management and co-workers to understand the Member’s job performance.
• Attend any meetings with supervisor/employer and the Member.
• Job coaching on job site with the Member to maintain stability or adapt to a change in the job, job location, job environment, Member’s disability, or any other changes.
• Job related meetings with the Member about work.
• Training for the employer or Member in the use of adaptive technology and aids.
• Provide Advocacy, as needed for the Member or Management.
• Develop additional jobs which may increase job responsibilities and or hours.

For more information, contact our Assistant Director of Employment and Residential Services, Madison Greiner for further information regarding our Employment Service.