1. BLURB
Students Toward Employment Placement (STEP)
I. Introduction: Summary Statement
STEP is a career program trademarked by Career Coaching and Program Development
LLC. STEP will be infused into the core classes of high school students. STEP will
incorporate in the classroom career readiness skills infusing career methods into the
students daily classroom instruction. STEP is designed for students who have an IEP and/
or diagnosed with autsim, an intellectual and/or developmental disability. STEP will pull
on strategic thinking skills in students to get students thinking outside of the box
regarding future career options.
II. Statement of Need
A recent study shows that for the first time in US history, people with college degrees
make up a larger portion of the workforce then those with only a high school diploma.
The unemployment rate for individuals diagnosed with intellectual and/or developmental
disabilities (I/DD) is 10.7% compared to that of people without disabilities at 4.4%
despite their williness to work. Disability Employment Statistics for ages 16 and over
show that the labor force participation for people with disabilities is 20.4%. Students and
adults with developmental disabilities struggle to obtain employment during and after
high school because they often lack the career readiness skills needed to be successful on-
the-job. A national study completed on individuals with intellectual and/or developmental
disabilities found that only 22% were employed. Of those who are employed, more than
half are significantly underemployed. 70% of individuals with serious mental illnesses
earn less than $10 an hour. Incorporating STEP will provide students with career
readiness skills and on-the-job traning addressing barriers around unemployment by
promoting best practices, incorporating career skills into classroom instruction to yield a
better school-to-work transition. The need for STEP is to provide students and adults with
career readiness skills to better position them for success in and beyond high school.

2. STEP will create employer awareness and provide internship/ career opportunities for
everyone enrolled.