Job Development and Placement - Eligible clients work with a Goodwill Job Developer to identify desired jobs or growth industries and seek competitive, unsubsidized employment. Based on their needs and preferences, people served may receive: assistance in identifying marketable skills and available jobs, interviewing and "soft skills" training, assistance in developing a resume, filling out job applications and making contacts with prospective employers. Once hired, Goodwill staff can provide the retention services to assist the new employee to retain employment.

Supported Employment - The Supported Employment program assists individuals with mental disabilities to obtain competitive employment in their community through services that include job readiness training, job placement assistance, and post-employment job coaching to help them adjust to and maintain employment. Placements are made with consideration of the client's vocational interests, physical limitations, transferable skills, wage expectations, and worker traits. Once placed, the client receives time-limited job coaching based on individual need until they are able to work successfully maintain that job independently. Most of these individuals have little or no work history due to their mental disabilities but have recently achieved a level of stabilization that will allow them to enter the working world with some assistance. For these individuals, employment means a higher quality of life that is more independent, productive, and meaningful. Individuals are typically referred by the Department of Rehabilitation. The length of time required for employment preparation, job development, and placement depends on individual circumstances.

Situational Assessment - Department of Rehabilitation consumers receive an evaluation of an individual's level of functioning, work behaviors, potential barriers to employment, feasibility of employment in their area of interest, and recommendations for future training and/or employment. Assessments are conducted in community employment settings for up to 40 hours over a one or two week period during which the consumer is paid minimum wage for productive work performed. The resulting written report provides an effective means of answering questions and addressing the consumer's established vocational objective.

Taft College Transition to Independent Living - The Transition to Independent Living (TIL) Program offers students enrolled a paid retail work experience/training at a Goodwill store location. Students work an average of eight hours per week during the academic year and gain real world employment experience performing productive work in a retail environment. The TIL Program is a post-secondary experience at Taft College for developmentally disabled adults emphasizing learning independent living skills. The mission of the program is to teach basic work ethics and skills with the College and Goodwill working collaboratively. The program stresses the importance of teaching people to accept responsibility for decisions and choices they make and has a goal to teach participating students the skills necessary to be employed and to ensure the success of their independence after graduation.

Instructional Language - Most training classes and job placement services can be conducted in both English and Spanish. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate the language needs of students, including providing ASL interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students. (A special thank you to Target Corporation and the Department of Rehabilitation for funding of ASL interpretive services.)

GED - The Workforce Development staff will work with clients who wish to develop the skills to take the GED test and assist them in utilizing the services of community partners who offer GED Preparation Programs.

Community Service Program - Persons who must complete community service hours are able to learn basic job skills while completing community service.