Transition

All high school aged students participate in a weekly career education course in which they learn the basics of obtaining and maintaining employment. The course is designed to meet the following skills and competencies:

• Completing job applications
• Resume writing
• Job searching skills
• Financial fundamentals
• Problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Communication and interviewing skills
• Dress and appearance
• How to obtain and maintain a job
• Career Clusters
• Interest Inventories

Students are eligible to participate in many types of career exposures and explorations to assist with setting post-secondary goals. All students are given the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of settings within the community such as various local employers, post-secondary educational settings and other community sites to help foster independence. Exposures and explorations are designed to development fundamental life skills and establish interest, preferences, and work/social skills.

Job Shadow:
Over the years, Pineland has developed a partnership within the community to provide our students within a first-hand look into the world of work. These locations have allowed our students the opportunity to shadow and interview an employee, tour the location, meet with the manager and observe the day to day functions of the business. Each year, the 9-10 grade students participate in this exposure during the week of National Job Shadow Day. These businesses include:
• Best Buy
• Target
• Kohls
• Hampton Inn
• SPCA
• Inspira Health Center

Structured Learning Experience:
The Structured Learning Experience (SLE) exploration is not job specific and is designed to provide students with opportunities to develop basic work readiness skills. Students begin by working on a group community project that each class must research and develop. Students can then progress to a less restrictive environment in either in-school or out-of-school sites based on their individual needs, level of maturity and availability of placements. Before being placed either on or off campus, all eligible students are able to tour each location, apply for the desired location and interview for the position. Once place, students are monitored by a job coach and evaluated on their progress. Some out-of-school placements include:
• Inspira Health Center
• Inspira Fitness Connection
• Cumberland County SPCA
• Tarkiln Acres Senior Center
• Deerfield Senior Center
• Marshalls
• Pineland Learning Center Kitchen

Community-Based Instruction:
Community-Based Instruction provides our students the ability to practice life and vocational skills within their “natural” environments. Weekly and bi-weekly exposures are designed to promote independence and awareness within all four curricular domains: community, vocational, domestic and recreation/leisure.

Through career awareness instruction and one on one career planning sessions, all students will complete a variety of interest inventories, develop a career plan and maintain a portfolio. Depending on the age of the student determines the intensity of the planning.

At age 14, all students will complete an interest inventory and start to develop short and long term career goals. Every year, a new inventory is completed and tracked.

At 16, all students will continue using a variety of inventories to track their interests and preferences. At this stage, they will begin to develop a career plan and portfolio. From this point, students are able to then decide to explore the option of post-secondary education or the workforce as they transition into their desired job or career.