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Career Preparation

Vocational training programs for special education students teach work, life skills

Programs also foster acceptance in the community.

Lasherica Thornton

January 30, 2024.

As guests check out of El Capitan Hotel in downtown Merced, a group of students wearing Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) shirts or lanyards enter recently vacated rooms to strip the beds, empty the trash bins and vacuum the floors. 

For more than a year, students like Alondra Fierros, who always has a smile on her face, have separated and washed the hotel’s dirty linens while Jayden Flores has neatly folded the clean hotel towels into stacks of eight without looking up from the task.

Most of the students, ages 18-22, are diagnosed with varying degrees of autism and/or other disabilities, are in special education in the county office’s adult transition program and learning how to do laundry and clean for the first time. 

Despite their limits, the students obtain skills as part of the county office and hotel’s housekeeping program. 

“I clean the place, and I take a bunch of dirty bed sheets and towels and put them in the laundry room and wash them,” Flores said about tasks he learned by shadowing and observing housekeepers. 

Through hands-on experience at the hotel, students gain skills to work in the housekeeping and hospitality industry — whether at El Capitan or elsewhere — after they graduate. And they develop life skills for adulthood.

“At this age, we’re really trying to (give them) more experience in the community,” said Laura Fong, an assistant superintendent in the Merced County Office of Education. 

Vocational training programs have traditionally tailored jobs around special education students’ needs, such as a Fresno restaurant with modified cash registers to accommodate students who can’t read. 

This is not the case with Merced County’s program which, instead, integrates students into the housekeeping career, making it one of a few in California and across the nation to do so. The program now serves as a model for other districts aspiring to integrate students with disabilities into careers and society.  

From model room to real world experience 

The office of education launched the housekeeping training program in October 2022 for its special education students to gain work and life skills in a real world setting, Fong said. 

Before the program’s creation, students practiced their skills in an “isolated” mock hotel room, which worked for a while, Fong said. 

But it wasn’t enough. The students couldn’t apply what they learned to their life because those skills weren’t being used in a real-world environment. They weren’t observing housekeepers’ work, and therefore couldn’t comprehend the logic behind the tasks they were being instructed to do. They weren’t working alongside employees, so they weren’t learning how to interact with others or the proper ways to behave in a work setting. 

The county office sought a collaboration with the hotel, which had built the hotel room replica. 

Fong said the yearlong program is critical for the students “to be in the actual field,” get on-the-job training and be able to model employees’ behavior, which in turn provides them with real-world experience while allowing them to interact with others.

How county office’s training programs work

Once Merced County special education students finish their shift at a training site, they return to the classroom or visit another training program for the remainder of the day. In class, one of their tasks is to formulate their resume to include their on-the-job training experience. 

Working in the actual hotel “really teaches them responsibility,” said vocational trainer Lorie Gonzales, who accompanies the students to their training programs to supervise and assist them, if needed. 

With Gonzales checking their uniforms and attire before a shift, students learn that they must dress appropriately for a job. They learn about the importance of being on time because they’re expected at the hotel for their respective shifts and must clock in once they’re there.

Hotel staff are primarily responsible for training students for the housekeeping tasks, said Robin Donovan, managing director of the hotel.

The students remove dirty sheets and linens, vacuum and straighten rooms, so a housekeeper only has to make the bed and clean the bathroom. Once the housekeeper takes over, students sort, wash and dry the laundry, then vacuum the hallways and stairways and wipe down art and other fixtures mounted on the wall. 

The work skills, such as changing sheets and cleaning, become independent living skills that students need in their personal lives, Fong said.

“We want them to be prepared. Not only can they go out and find a job in this industry, doing this work, they can also transfer those skills to living on their own, independently,” she said.

Meg Metz, director of people and culture at El Capitan, said the hotel staff were at first worried about how they’d adapt to working with the students. Now, however, the staff looks forward to working alongside students, Metz and Donovan both said. 

Donovan added that hotel staff enjoy their shifts with the students who they say are reliable and hardworking and bring positivity to the workplace. 

“They do quality work,” she said, “and with the biggest smiles.” 

But the social interactions extend beyond connecting with hotel employees. The partnership with the hotel allows students to engage with hotel guests as well, including those who may still be in their rooms. 

“When I come to work here in the hotel, I say, ‘Knock, knock. Housekeeping,’” Flores said as he knocked on a third floor hotel room door. 

Gonzales, the vocational trainer, has coached the students on being courteous whenever they run into guests in the hallways and stairways. The students, for instance, tell guests to use the elevator first, Gonzales said. 

Expanding opportunities for students with special needs 

The housekeeping program isn’t the only vocational training program for individuals with disabilities in Merced County or the surrounding Central Valley communities. Since opening in the 1980s, Wired Café has been a coffee shop where adults with disabilities gain skills that prepare them for the workforce, according to Fong. It is owned and operated by Merced County’s education office as well. Students learn and grow as they take orders and fix and serve smoothies, lattes or sandwiches. 

Mimicking Wired Café, the Fresno County education office established Kids Café in 2017 as a work-based learning environment for special education students, county office leaders Christina Borges and Liza Stack said. 

In their uniforms and aprons, students working at Kids Café complete a variety of tasks, including: preparing and serving food, such as pizza, sandwiches and salads; sweeping or mopping the floors of the restaurant; clearing and wiping the tables after customers leave; stocking inventory; laundering; baking and packaging cookies or scones; weighing and bagging chips; and working the cash register.  

The Fresno County office adjusted aspects of the restaurant to accommodate students’ needs and abilities, thereby fostering independence and ensuring student success, Stack said. Restaurant modifications include visual task cards with pictures as well as step-by-step instructions, color-coordinated towels for different cleaning tasks, and a modified register in which 4C means four slices of cheese.

How Kids Café operates

The café provides two-hour shifts for most special education classes during the school year, with longer shifts offered over the summer and winter breaks. Students with special needs living in one of Fresno County’s 30 regional areas for special education services and enrolled in a county-operated program can participate. Participating students may have autism, be deaf or hard of hearing or have emotional disabilities, to name a few. Thirty-three Fresno County special education students, up from 19 last school year, have worked at the restaurant so far this school year. 

Starting around July 1, the Fresno County education office will partner with local businesses throughout the county to provide other types of vocational training for students with disabilities and offer employment opportunities in maintenance, facilities and technology at the county office. 

“We’re really looking to expand into those areas to give students something more than just restaurant work,” Borges said about integrating students into existing businesses rather than only designing programs for them. “We want to go beyond our students being in one restaurant at one location.” 

Much like the Merced County housekeeping training program, Fresno County’s planned expansion would create more vocational training that integrates special education students into careers, rather than tailoring jobs for students — a move that, Borges hopes, will show businesses the value of these students. 

Even the California Department of Rehabilitation has worked to close the employment gap for people with disabilities and, in 2022, launched an initiative with the Institute for Workplace Skills & Innovation) , a workforce development organization, to employ people with disabilities in allied health care, clerical and manufacturing jobs as part of the Ready, Willing and ABLE program. 

In August, the department and organization again partnered to establish Career Launchpad , a vocational skills and career transition program for students with disabilities — an often “overlooked and undervalued” community, a media release at the time said.

Students with disabilities are valuable to the workforce

Overall, vocational training programs such as those in Merced and Fresno exemplify how valuable students with disabilities can be to the workforce, leaders of Merced and Fresno counties said. 

“Our students being seen as active, valued members of society is one of the most important things that comes out of this,” Stack said. 

Flores, one of the Merced County students, aged out of the housekeeping training program in December when he turned 23. Gonzales, his vocational trainer, said she had hoped his employment with El Capitan Hotel would continue, especially because he could work independently in the training program. The hotel was unable to hire him because they had no open positions. He now participates in the Haven Program, a community-based center serving adults with disabilities. 

“I hope in the future, there’s more businesses that will hire them after they graduate,” Gonzales said. “… They’ve proved to us that they are capable.” 

As Merced and Fresno counties implement and expand programs throughout their communities, Borges hopes the community’s attitude will change toward students and individuals with disabilities. 

“Our students with disabilities,” she said, “have a role in the workforce.”

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William Barnes 2 months ago 2 months ago

Kudos to the Merced County Office of Education and the El Capitan Hotel for implementing this program for people with special needs. It brought back memories of two former positions I held as a teacher with similar curricula. The first was when I was hired by The Sheldon Independent School District in Houston, TX, to be the Community Based Vocational Instruction teacher for student at C.E. King High School. Through a federal grant, the school was … Read More

Kudos to the Merced County Office of Education and the El Capitan Hotel for implementing this program for people with special needs. It brought back memories of two former positions I held as a teacher with similar curricula.

The first was when I was hired by The Sheldon Independent School District in Houston, TX, to be the Community Based Vocational Instruction teacher for student at C.E. King High School. Through a federal grant, the school was partnered with San Jacinto College-North to place my students in 4 different locations on the college’s campuses. These 4 locations were the child care center, the auto body repair center, the library, and the cafeteria. My students would work in each of the locations for a period of time and then rotate to other locations to give them different experiences with different types of work. Sadly, after I moved to El Paso, the grant expired a couple of years later, and the program was dropped. From what I know, all my students were placed in adult assisted living situations.

The second time I was involved in this type of program was becoming the Transition Placement Partnership between Pittsburg High School and the California Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in the late 2000s and early 2010s. In this program, some of my students became qualified to become clients of the Department of Voc. Rehab. and the department would help my students to focus on either a post secondary or vocational training path in order to gain access to either an A.A. or certification in a career to allow them to start working. Some of the businesses in the local community were involved in being designated worksites for the students.

Again, sadly, due to inept and poor school administration and communication, the partnership was dissolved and I was replaced by another teacher who was more to the liking of the administrators. However, I enjoyed to time I did have while I was in the program.

Nance Burton 2 months ago 2 months ago

What funding source is being utilized to pay the students? There are a lot of transition programs struggling to find funding to pay the students for the work being done, enticing the employer to allow them to work on-site. Thank you for the great article Lasherica!

Melody Davis 2 months ago 2 months ago

Yes this vocational opportunity is part of our quality of living. Monies should be very much invested in programs like this everywhere .

CARI E 2 months ago 2 months ago

Are the students paid for the quality work they provide?

Lasherica Thornton 2 months ago 2 months ago

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Work-Based Learning in High School

A framework for ensuring that high school special education students develop the skills they need to join the workforce with confidence.

As a special educator, I have one goal in mind: to help students gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be as independent and fulfilled as possible in their adult lives. After teaching at the middle school level for over a decade, I decided to make the leap to high school and to specialize in work-based learning in order to help facilitate lifelong success for my students.

Work-based learning is the intersection of project-based learning and social and emotional learning, as it invites students to work on real-world tasks that will facilitate their ability to obtain employment. The social and emotional learning component? Developing the soft skills, or interpersonal skills, necessary to thrive at work.

It’s incredibly rewarding to help students secure their first job, complete their first tax forms, open their first bank account, and yes, make their first purchases with their very own money.

I’ve seen countless students with special education services move from a negative self-image and disengagement from school to increased self-worth and a new sense of success after accomplishing the task of attaining employment. They start to believe in themselves on a much stronger level as they realize their capacity to participate in the workplace.

Giving Students the Tools They Need

Over my years as a work coordinator, I’ve learned many helpful approaches from seasoned colleagues and personal research. Here are some helpful tools and strategies that may support student success.

Over-helping helps no one.  Too often, students with special education services develop over-dependence on adults at school. Many have grown up with extra support, and they may not realize that they can perform countless tasks on their own. Work-based learning is a chance for students to find their full capacity with independence. As a rule, I never say or do anything a student could say or do themselves.

For example, rather than calling an employer to see if they’re hiring, I train the student on how to make that phone call on their own. Decreasing support and facilitating independence is critical to ensuring lifelong student success, and work-based learning is the perfect platform for this.

Connect the classroom to the workplace.  Work-based learning programs should always include a classroom component. Each state has different requirements for work-based learning programs, but many require a “career seminar” class to support student learning in tandem with on-the-job experiences. Career seminars focus on explicit instruction in areas such as safety, labor laws, the job-seeking process, choosing a career, and employability skills.

I run my career seminar class as if I’m a manager at work. For example, students have a scheduled break halfway through class, and this is the only time they can check their phones. Students clock in when they enter the room by entering an assigned number in a Google Form. The more we can practice the activities and habits they’ll need at work, the better. This supports their ability to maintain employment for the long haul.

Share your story.  What was your first job in high school? I’m guessing you didn’t start your work life as a teacher. Share your work experience story with students, including both the challenges and the rewards. What came easily to you? Were there bumps in the road, and how did you overcome them? How did you wind up in teaching, including your particular content area?

Invite students to share their own employment stories if they’re already working. Conversations about successes at work can deepen relationships and motivate other students who may feel inspired to join the workforce and enjoy the benefits this can bring.

Skills pay the bills. When you approach your instruction through a work-based learning lens, it’s all about transferable skills that will stay with students—which all working adults must learn and practice to keep a job. These include abilities like communication, conflict resolution, accepting constructive criticism, organization, and adaptability.

With such skills in mind, many classroom situations can become teachable moments geared toward work-readiness, including undesirable behavior choices. Rather than engaging in power struggles with students, remind them that you have the same goal: their future success and employability. From this place, you can engage in problem-solving together. Continuously bring it back to their skills for work, rather than school rules or policies they may find arbitrary.

Don’t stop believing. Cultivating hope, resilience, and a growth mindset in your students will support them tremendously in their future attempts to join the workforce. The path to their dream career may be marred with obstacles and challenges along the way. In order to overcome them, students need to believe in themselves and commit to persevering through setbacks.

As educators, we can help foster their success when we convey that we truly believe in them and in their potential. In today’s job market, there’s a job to suit most every student. There are countless programs available to create avenues for individuals with disabilities to gain meaningful paid employment. Share this with students, believe in their potential, and convey your commitment to build their capacity.

I’m so grateful to be a coordinator of work-based learning. Countless students have reconnected over the years to tell me their own success stories, which were launched by their high school work program experiences. Whether it’s a restaurant employee who moved up to manager, a child care aide who moved up to teaching, or an apprentice in the trades who became a foreman, work-based learning planted the first seeds to grow success. Work-based learning is an extremely valuable opportunity to bring out student strengths and help them leverage those strengths to lasting lifelong rewards.

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Development of "non-cognitive" skills (soft skills) play an important part in college and career success. Non-cognitive factors featured in WEE include motivation, time management, perseverance, and self-regulation.

Students will develop ready-to-work attitudes/interview skills; financial literacy; knowledge of workplace safety and rights as workers; business operations; how to read an earnings statement and know what payroll deductions to expect; career decision making; making a career goal plan and much more.

The WEE is a course of study which may be established by the governing board of any school district or charter school, or other specified local educational agency (LEA) in accordance with the provisions of the California Education Code Section 51760 and the California Code of Regulations (CCR) , Title 5, Section 10070-75. Each LEA that elects to conduct a WEE program must submit a Secondary District plan for WEE to the California Department of Education for approval.

The operational plan of the WEE program combines an on-the-job component with related classroom instruction designed to maximize the value of on-the-job experiences. Students' success in WEE programs depends on the quality of classroom instruction, effective collaboration between employers and the WEE coordinators, and the degree of involvement by the students and their parents or legal guardians.

The WEE program is an integrated educational process that: (1) helps students to choose a career path based on their interests and aptitudes; (2) prepares them for college and career success; and (3) affords students the opportunity to learn to work with others in ways that are successful and rewarding. The WEE program connects inputs from teachers, counselors, students, parents, and employers to achieve the following purposes:

• Link the academic core curriculum with the world of work and promote students' school-to-career transitions.
• Help students develop skills, habits, and attitudes conducive to job success and personal growth.
• Assist students in career exploration and forging rewarding relationships with employers.
• Develop a positive work ethic and acquire or refine work related skills and job performance in actual work settings.

Program Types

The WEE includes both paid and non-paid experiences. The LEA may offer one or more of the following types of WEE programs authorized by the CCR, Title 5, Section 10071:

Exploratory Work Experience Education (EWEE)

The objective of EWEE is to provide career guidance to students and ascertain their interests and aptitudes for specific careers through opportunities to observe and sample a variety of conditions of work. The EWEE includes a combination of job observations and related classroom instruction in WEE. The student may be required to perform non-paid work activities while exploring the occupation on a limited, periodic, and sampling basis. The length of exploratory assignment may vary, depending on the aptitude of the student, the occupation being explored, the facilities of the work station, and the job classification. Students may not participate in EWEE programs if pay is received for similar work at the same work station or a similar job during hours when not assigned to the EWEE program. (The student cannot replace a paid employee.) The LEA must provide Workers' Compensation Insurance for the student. Students enrolled in EWEE may be as young as 12 years of age. Students participating in EWEE do not need a work permit.

General Work Experience Education (GWEE)

The purpose of GWEE is to provide students with opportunities for applying the basic skills of reading, writing, and computation through a combination of supervised employment in any occupational field and related classroom instruction. Students participating in GWEE typically require a work permit. (Visit Work Permits for Students to learn more about work permits.)

Career Technical Work Experience Education (CTWEE)

The intent of CTWEE is to reinforce and extend vocational learning opportunities for students through a combination of related classroom instruction and supervised paid employment. The CTWEE is to develop and refine occupational competencies necessary to acquire paid employment to adapt to the employment environment, and to advance in an occupation. Students enrolled in CTWEE must have a worksite placement or employment that is related to a previous or concurrently enrolled Career Technical Education course of study.

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Work Experience Can Work Summer Program

San Mateo Union High School District kicked off its Summer "Work Experience Can Work" program in collaboration with the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and NOVA Job Center - San Mateo County's local Workforce Development Board. The program, in its third year, supports SMUHSD graduates who have previously received special education services from SMUHSD.  The funding from the program is provided by the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that the Department of Rehabilitation and NOVA both manage.   

The young adults who have signed up for the paid summer employment program participated in a one-week employment preparation boot camp to learn workplace readiness skills, participate in job exploration, and advance their self-advocacy skills.  The participants had in-class support from SMUHSD program leads Matt Park and Cammy Leung; NOVA program managers Lelan Anders and Aracely Diaz, and various Student Service Counselors from the San Bruno and San Mateo Department of Rehabilitation offices. Transition Specialist Eli Poblitz oversees the program on behalf of SMUHSD.

The participants will be matched to SMUHSD business partners along the peninsula for a work-based learning opportunity for the summer starting this week (June 12).  Students will have the opportunity to work as little as 100 hours during the summer and a maximum of 340 hours due to the combined funding from DOR and NOVA.  The students will earn from $16.75 - $17.95 per hour, depending on their job. 

Our goal is that this program might be adopted on a larger scale across the state in the future.

Thank you to the employers who are participating in our 2023 Work Experience Can Work Summer Program:

Sunshine Daycare

Smart & Final

San Mateo Medical Center

Sonrisas Dental

New England Lobster Market 

SMUHSD Facilities

Millbrae Library  

Mountain Mike’s Pizza

San Mateo Zoo 

Orchard Supply Hardware

America’s House Restaurant

One Love Daycare

B Street Boxing Gym 

Burlingame Recreation Center

Boys & Girls Club of North San Mateo County 

Learn about SMUHSD’s Transition Programs: https://www.smuhsd.org/Page/5514 .

For more information about modeling this program in your School District or learning about being an employer with this program in the Summer of 2024, contact Eli Poblitz at [email protected] or 650-558-2274.

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Careers in special education: skills, education and how to get started

By Michael Feder

At a glance

• From teaching in the classroom to performing the administrative work that makes teaching possible, special education offers a number of career paths.
• Overall employment of special education teachers is projected to grow 8% from 2020 to 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• As a prerequisite to a career in special education, many choose to  pursue  a degree program in education .

Everyone has the right to an education, but not everyone has the same needs when it comes to learning. Students with special needs have physical, emotional or learning disabilities, and they require informed instruction from special education teachers and administrators.

Special education is certainly a team effort. There are numerous careers in special needs beyond working directly with students as educators in the classroom. Coordinators, counselors and managers make up a wide range of special education teaching jobs that can have a profound impact on the lives of students with disabilities.

Many choose to pursue  a degree program in education   to better prepare themselves for these careers. A  master’s degree in special education , for instance, gives special education teachers the opportunity to hone skills that are uniquely suited to special education teaching jobs.

In the following, we explore jobs available to education and special education majors. These represent several careers in special needs that are important in the lives of students.

If you’re looking to explore one of these fields, University of Phoenix may be able to help. But please note that the University’s degree programs may not directly prepare you for all these jobs. Some may require additional education, licensure or training.

Special education teacher

Overview:  If you’re looking for a job in special education that has a direct impact on the lives of students, you may want to consider working as a special education teacher. These individuals work in the classroom directly with students with disabilities. They can teach a wide range of subjects, develop lesson plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), communicate with supervisors and administrators, and work one-on-one to help students succeed.

Education requirements:  Every state requires a bachelor’s degree to teach special education in a public school. Some require a specific  degree in special education.   

Job outlook:  Overall employment of special education teachers is projected to grow 8% from 2020 to 2030,  according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  (BLS).

Salary range:  The salary range for special education teachers was between $46,180 and $100,040 in May 2021,  according to BLS .

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

Instructional coordinator

Overview:  Assuming a more administrative role in the lives of students with special needs, instructional coordinators take on a bird’s-eye view to improve educational outcomes. Curriculum development is a major responsibility of education coordinators, requiring them to use data and student and teacher input to craft the best classroom experience.

Education requirements:  Instructional coordinators typically need to complete an education program at  a master’s degree level . Some schools require these professionals to have a state-issued license. University of Phoenix does not offer a degree program that aligns directly to this job outcome.

Job outlook:  Employment of instructional coordinators is projected to grow 10% from 2020 to 2030 , according to BLS.

Salary range:  The salary range for instructional coordinators was $38,390 to $101,090 in May 2021 , according to BLS.

School counselor

Overview:  School can be challenging, especially for students with special needs. School counselors address in a personal, one-on-one manner the many challenges that these students face. This can mean giving advice to a struggling student or reaching out to teachers to collaborate on ways to improve outcomes for students with special needs. School counselors can be found at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Education requirements:  To be a school counselor in most states,  a master’s degree in psychology  or counseling is a common prerequisite. Public schools also require a state-issued license, certification or endorsement.

Job outlook:  According to BLS , employment of school and career counselors is projected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030. 

Salary range:  The salary range for school and career counselors was between $37,550 and $98,190 in May 2021,  according to BLS .

Some teachers choose to specialize in early childhood education. Learn how to  optimize your results  with the right degree.

School psychology professional

Overview:  By administering psychological, neurological, personality and academic tests to students, school psychology professionals produce data-driven insights to improve student outcomes. This is especially important in the field of special education. Data produced by school psychology professionals can help diagnose mental disabilities and lead to educational strategies that address these disabilities. This makes everyone from special education teachers to administrators better prepared to teach students with special needs.

Education requirements:  According to BLS, psychology professionals typically need a doctoral degree in psychology, but a masters’ degree may be sufficient to work in a school . Common fields include psychology and education. These professionals may also need certification from the  Board of Certified Psychometrists , and 3,000 hours of testing experience is also typically required. University of Phoenix does not offer a degree program that aligns directly to this job outcome.

Job outlook:  The job outlook for school psychology professionals is projected to grow 10% between 2020-2030 , according to BLS.

Salary range:  BLS reports that the salary range for school psychology professionals in May 2021 was $47,850 to $133,890 . Note that this range is for all psychology professionals. BLS data shows the median salary for psychology professionals in elementary and secondary schools was $78,830.

Education administrator

Overview:  Education administrators perform the day-to-day work that makes running a school possible. Education administrators plan and execute plans to improve educational outcomes as well as manage a budget and encourage efficiencies within school administration. They can work in admissions, as registrars, at research institutions and really anywhere within a school where administrative work needs to be done. 

Education requirements:  Principals and deans generally have experience as educators as well as a master’s degree before moving on to administrative roles. For other administrative roles, a bachelor’s degree is a common prerequisite.

Job outlook:  According to BLS,  the national estimated occupational employment for education administrators in kindergarten through secondary schools is projected to increase 8% from 2020 to 2030.

Salary range:  According to BLS , the salary range for education administrators in kindergarten through secondary school in May 2021 was between $61,480 to $153,250.  

Specialize your skill set with a  Post-Master’s Certificate in Higher Education Administration .

Overview:  Principals are education administrators who oversee the entire administrative structure of an elementary, middle or high school. Special education requires the specific attention of principals, who are ultimately responsible for instituting an educational plan that helps students with special needs succeed.

Education requirement:  Employment as a principal generally requires at least a  master’s degree in education administration  as well as licensure.

Job outlook:  Employment of elementary, middle and high school principals is projected to grow 8% percent from 2020 to 2030,  according to BLS .

Salary range:  The salary range for elementary, middle and high school principals was between $61,480 and $153,520 in May 2021,  according to BLS .

That’s our list of some of the most rewarding jobs in special education! While the field might not be for everybody, it is one that has tremendous opportunity to improve the lives and futures of numerous children.

Is a career in special education right for you? University of Phoenix has  education programs for teachers  at every stage of their careers.

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Special education (bse).

The Skills to Help Students in Need

Why Study Special Education?

Special education is a demanding and challenging career path — and it’s also one of the most rewarding, satisfying teaching roles you can find. Your work will have a profound, lasting impact on your students’ lives.

There’s also a growing need for special education teachers nationwide; in Indiana, it’s estimated that 13,900 new positions will be created through 2029. To become a special ed teacher, you’ll first need to complete your bachelor’s degree — including the coursework and student teaching — required to take the special education licensure exam for the state of Indiana.

Majoring in special education equips you with a highly specialized, marketable skill set, which can lead to a range of other special education jobs: leading community programs, working in curriculum development or providing support services to students and their families, to name a few.

Job placement rate for Saint Francis special education graduates

Median annual salary for special education teachers in 2022

of field experience before graduation

Why Choose Saint Francis’ Special Education Program?

With an academic mission rooted in values of respect and dignity for all, the University of Saint Francis is an incredibly fitting environment to prepare for purposeful work, such as a career in special education.

Expert instruction, a well-rounded curriculum, and extensive field experience will prepare you to educate and inspire students of all abilities and learning styles in grades Pre-K through12.

Hands-On Learning: Student Teaching and Field Experience

You will get into the field right from your first semester in the special education program:

Field Experiences

Your 300+ hours of engaging with students of all backgrounds will take you to public, private, and religious schools and in urban, suburban, and rural settings.

Student Teaching

You will spend a semester paired with a professional special education teacher. Under their mentorship, you will apply what you’ve learned in a classroom setting and build confidence in your professional skills.

Professional Development

All Saint Francis education majors also participate in professional development and networking events such as the Best Practices Showcase, which highlights educators who demonstrate outstanding teaching practices.

“Going to Saint Francis has prepared me for the teaching world through the various field placements. The faculty has prepared and provided a multitude of opportunities for their students to gain experience and more knowledge.”   Jaya Ellis ’24  Special Education PreK-12 

“The USF teacher education program has prepared me to be an effective educator through field hours in a variety of settings. Saint Francis professors are dedicated to their continuing education and that of their students and include a commitment to the university’s Franciscan values.” Sophia Shoppell ’23 BSE Special Education PreK-12

“One summer I worked at an equine therapy camp for students with special needs. That experience fueled my interest in special education. When it was time to student-teach, my professor helped place me in a special education classroom in a Catholic school — another goal of mine!” Claire Manning ’20 Elementary education/special education

Faculty and Facilities

Class sizes are small at Saint Francis, so you will get personal attention from faculty mentors who are experts in their field. You’ll also have access to the Antoinette V. Murray Cougar Classroom, a learning lab filled with technology, resources, and materials — everything you need to create lesson plans and get ready for student-teaching.

Campus and Community Involvement

Leading and serving others through campus organizations will help prepare you to become a special ed teacher. Here are just a few that might interest you:

• Educators in Action
• Campus Ministry
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Alpha Theta Epsilon (honor society)
• Jesters of the University of Saint Francis

Special Education Jobs: Careers in Teaching and Development

After you graduate and pass your licensure exam, you’ll be ready to become a special ed teacher, but that’s not all you can do with a bachelor’s in special education. There’s a wide range of special education jobs in schools, recreational facilities, community agencies and healthcare facilities:

• Classroom aide/paraprofessional
• Curriculum writer
• Education policy maker
• Emotional support specialist
• Program director
• Resources specialist
• Site director

With a master’s degree in special education, you can pursue additional opportunities in teaching, counseling, and school administration.

Where You’ll Find Saint Francis Special Education Program Graduates

Saint Francis graduates teach and provide educational services in public and private school settings such as:

• Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District
• East Allen County Schools
• Edgerton High School
• Fort Wayne Community Schools
• Indianapolis Public Schools
• Northwest Allen County Schools
• Southwest Allen County Schools
• Warsaw Community Schools
• Westview School Corporation

Graduate School and Advancement Opportunities

Teachers are life-long learners: You’re likely to return to the classroom to earn continuing education credits, graduate certificates or other credentials to help you advance your career.

Saint Francis offers graduate programs in education, special education, school psychology, and school counseling. Our special education majors have also been accepted into programs at:

• Ball State University
• Indiana University
• Lewis University
• University of Northern Colorado

Accreditation

The Department of Education is  accredited  by the Indiana Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which was previously known as the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

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Appropriate certifications for wbl programs , career exploration internship program (ceip) .

The Career Exploration Internship Program is a school-business partnership initiative that provides high school students, age 14 and above, the opportunity to obtain non-paid, on-site, career exploration experiences. The focus of the program is meaningful, hands-on, career exploration rather than skill development. Students may earn ¼ to 1 unit of elective or CTE sequence credit.   

This program must be registered with the New York State Education Department and must be coordinated by a CTE teacher who possesses an extension as a Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Programs.  

Cooperative Career & Technical Education Work Experience Program (CO-OP) 

The Cooperative Career & Technical Education Work Experience Program is a work-based learning program for students age 16 and above, consisting of 150 to 600 hours of paid, school-supervised work experience, supported by related in-school instruction in a specific career & technical discipline. Students may earn ½ to 2 units of credit towards a CTE sequence, depending upon the specific sequence. This program must be registered with the New York State Education Department and must be coordinated by a secondary teacher or school counselor who possesses an extension as Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Programs.  CO-OP programs must be supervised in coordination with the CTE teacher in which the related CTE instruction is being offered.  

General Education Work Experience Program (GEWEP) 

The General Education Work Experience Program is a work-based learning option for non-CTE students, age 14 and above. The program consists of 150-600 hours of paid, supervised work experience, supported by the equivalent of at least one classroom period per week of related instruction. Students typically earn ½ to 2 units of high school credit, but may earn up to 3 units of high school credit so long as one unit is completed by the end of grade 10. This program must be registered with the New York State Education Department; it may be coordinated by any teacher or guidance counselor certified at the secondary level who possesses an extension as Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Programs. 

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The Ultimate Career Roadmap for Master’s in Administration of  Special Education Graduates

Introduction

In the 2018-2019 school year , 14 percent of public school students received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). Thanks to better testing, early intervention services, and increased awareness of the benefits of integrating special needs students into the classroom, the number of students requiring special education services has increased and will likely continue doing so. 

A master’s in administration of special education prepares you to serve these students, their families, and the communities that they will grow up to join. This advanced degree offers a deep dive into the theory of learning disabilities, practical strategies to help students who require support, and significant leadership and management training. You will learn how to devise and structure an effective and inclusive curriculum. You’ll also gain the skills necessary to lead a special education team, advocate for students at the district level, and manage other educators. 

This degree is an ideal choice for people who want to make an impact on the lives of students with learning differences, who believe in the power of inclusive education, and who want to earn a great living. This versatile degree opens doors to a variety of roles. You can climb the career ladder in your school district and beyond, or fill different roles across educational systems throughout your career. Here’s what you need to know about this master’s program —and how to decide if it’s right for you. 

Download a PDF version of this guide by filling out this form, or keep scrolling to learn more.

Benefits of Earning a Master’s in Administration of Special Education

Potential career paths with an m.a. in administration of special education, is an m.a. in administration of special education right for you, choosing the right career path after graduation, snu’s master’s in administration of special education program.

The industry is rapidly growing. Between 2011-12 and 2018-19, the number of students receiving special education services increased from 6.4 million to 7.1 million—growing from 13 to 14 percent of the public school population.

An M.A. in administration of special education (MAASE) offers a clear path into a lucrative and rewarding career. As the general population grows and awareness of special needs increases, the number of students requiring special education services will also likely increase. Capitalizing on this trend offers many benefits, including:

A less-competitive job market

As the need for special education experts increases, competition decreases. Schools need more support than ever, which means it will likely become progressively easier to get a job. In the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years , many states reported a shortage of special education teachers across all exceptionalities.

Job security

Special needs students need support from preschool through high school and beyond. Schools cannot support them without the right team in place. As part of that team, you have significant job security if you do your job well.

A chance to help integrate special needs students into classroom settings.

More and more schools understand that students with atypical needs can thrive in traditional classroom settings. The majority ( 63.4 percent ) of special needs students now spend most of their time in traditional classroom settings. That’s up from 31.7 percent in 1989. You can help these students adapt.

A chance to become a strong advocate

Special needs students need adults who can identify and advocate for their needs. If you have a strong voice, good communication skills, and a deep respect for people with diverse needs, a role in special education can be deeply satisfying.

The ability to make a difference

Special needs students face a wide range of obstacles, from identifying their needs to getting those needs met. You can make life with special needs a little easier, preparing these students to enter the world as happy, well-adjusted, and thoughtful adults.

The specific amount you will earn depends on where you work, your career experience, the specific role you fill, and myriad other factors. Compared to bachelor’s degree recipients, however, master’s holders earn median annual earnings of $12,948 more. In some jobs, you can expect to earn well over six figures.

A chance to climb the career ladder

If you hope to one day lead a school or a special education team, a master’s degree may be a necessary prerequisite. With more education, you’ll unlock more career doors, helping you ascend faster and eventually earn more.

More job versatility

With a bachelor’s degree in education or special education, your opportunities may be limited to direct instruction. With a master’s degree, you can move out of educational settings, pursuing roles in nonprofits, as a consultant, and even in government.

The power to change the world

If you want to change the world around you, especially if you hope to create a more equitable world for those with different abilities, the work begins in childhood. Support special needs students to feel safer, more included, and better prepared to achieve for the rest of their lives. In so doing, you can help build a world in which people with a wide range of disabilities have more power and a stronger voice.

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The world of special education is rich and diverse, with career paths suited to just about every disposition and ambition level.

A master’s degree can only expand your career possibilities, which means you’ll have a wide range of options well beyond those listed here. Here are some of the nine best career paths with your degree:

Special education director

With average annual salaries beginning just above $100,000 , special education directors oversee services for special needs at the school or district level. They are administrators who must make numerous decisions and enforce district rules. You may develop budgets and apply for grants, design and implement new programs to serve the students in your district or school, and be accountable to school boards or administrators for the progress that students in your program make. 

In most cases, you’ll work with collaborative teams across many departments. This requires strong management and leadership skills, as well as a commitment to advocating for the students you support. You may also speak on behalf of district programs, requiring strong communication and public relations skills.

Special education program coordinator

Special education program coordinators, who earn an average of $56,398 annually, lead special education teams at the school level. They may devise and implement curricula, support special education teachers , or split their time between teaching and administration. Many program coordinators work directly with students, talking to them about their experiences and tailoring school programs to meet the needs of families. 

You’ll need excellent communication skills, the ability to form strong relationships with students, and an adaptable management style.

Special education instructional supervisor

A special education supervisor can expect average earnings of $76,835 . Similar to program coordinators, they help design and implement special education programs and curricula. They also review programs to ensure they are compliant with district and legal guidelines, and they may advocate for students who need additional accommodations or support. They can also refer students to testing and therapeutic resources. 

This job requires great advocacy and communication skills, strong relationships with students and their family, and a willingness to manage teachers and other staff as needed.

Special education principal

Principals, who have average earnings of around $100,000 , play a key role in special education. They work with other administrators to design and approve special education curricula. They may also need to advocate for special needs students at the district level, and sometimes to legislatures and other governmental bodies. 

As a principal, your job is to support all students and an entire faculty. This means you must be able to manage conflicts, oversee a team, and advocate for special needs students so that they do not get lost among typical students. A small number of schools specifically cater to students with special needs, and they hire principals with a strong background in special education.

Nonprofit leadership

Nonprofit organizations that advocate for or serve people with special needs know that a better life begins with a better education. They may hire or contract with special needs experts to develop new programs and policies, advocate on behalf of the population the nonprofit serves, or lobby at state legislatures. The potential roles—and salaries—vary widely. Some examples of nonprofit work include: 

• Becoming a lobbyist for a special education organization 
• Writing policy papers or grant applications 
• Leading the special education department of a national nonprofit

Government agency leadership

A patchwork of federal, state, and local laws govern special education and the services that schools must provide. Government agencies need experts in special education to help them comply with these laws, better serve students and their families, and push for meaningful change. The specific salary and duties you might expect vary a lot depending on the agency where you work and the role you fill. Some duties you might have include: 

• Drafting policy recommendations for a school board, governor, or legislator 
• Running a state or local department of special education 
• Consulting with government officials to educate them about the needs of special education students

Educational diagnostician 

An educational diagnostician helps diagnose conditions that may affect education, including learning disabilities, developmental delays, and some mental health diagnoses. With average earnings of $68,000 annually, you will work directly with students and their parents to understand and address student needs. You may administer diagnostic tests, interview students about their classroom experiences, and work with families to identify reasonable accommodations that they can seek at school.

Behavioral intervention specialist

With average annual salaries of $44,246 , behavioral intervention specialists help coordinate plans to better manage student behavior. Special needs students may struggle with behavioral issues, such as fidgeting, not paying attention, and acting out. Addressing their underlying needs often mitigates these behaviors. Even when it does not, the right classroom accommodations can help. 

Behavioral intervention specialists work with a special education team to design strategies that better support special needs students in the classroom. They may partner with educational diagnosticians to better understand a student’s diagnosis, work with teachers to design support plans, and advocate for students at the school or district level. Sometimes they also work with parents to help them implement changes at home that can better support the student’s needs.

Special education teacher

Special education teachers are the first line of support for students with learning disabilities and other special needs. They have average annual earnings of $43,377, with significant variability depending on education, experience, location, and the specific student population they serve. You’ll implement special education plans, help integrate special needs students into the classroom, address behavioral and academic issues as they appear, and work closely with students and parents to ensure students get the quality education to which they are entitled. 

A bachelor’s degree is the entry-level requirement in many districts, though schools and districts that offer higher pay may require a master’s. Even when they do not, a master’s degree can expand your skill set and empower you to climb the career ladder. You might start as a teacher, grow into leading a team, and eventually become an administrator or department director.

If the benefits of a career in special education sound good to you, it’s time to weigh whether this is the right career step. 

Some questions to ask yourself include:

• Is this a good investment? Will my anticipated salary offset the cost of tuition? If so, how quickly? Will I be able to make student loan payments with my earnings? 
• Do I want a leadership or administrative role in special education? 
• Am I interested in special education and committed to advocating for students? 
• Do I prefer working directly with students, or am I more interested in policy and planning? 
• Is lack of education preventing me from pursuing the job I want? 
• Could my degree help me earn more in my current role, or stay with my current employer but in a better role? 
• Are there good jobs in special education in my area? 
• Can I see myself working in this field for the rest of my life?

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One of the great things about a master’s degree is that it does not lock you into a specific role. Instead, you’ll get broad training that prepares you for myriad potential careers.

It’s a good idea to consider job options before you start, because this can help you choose the right classes and internships. Some factors to consider include:

Past work experience

What roles have you most enjoyed? At which jobs did you excel? Have you already accumulated experience in a specific field? For some special education teachers, a master’s degree is the only thing standing between them and a higher position in the educational hierarchy.

Although your prior experience is important, you deserve a career you’re passionate about. What interests you most in special education? Do you prefer working with students, or are you more invested in wonkish policy details?

Long-term career goals

The career from which you retire might be very different from the one in which you land right after graduation. Consider your end goals. Do you want to lead a school or district? Run for political office? Lobby for political change? Achieving these goals may depend on where your career begins.

Personal life goals

Everyone deserves a happy, meaningful life. What does that look like to you? Do you want to maximize earnings, spend more time with your family, retire early, make a difference in the lives of students, or some combination of all of the above? Research each career path to assess whether it will help you achieve your personal goals.

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Education | ‘Hey, we built that!’ Forest Lake high school…

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Education | ‘Hey, we built that!’ Forest Lake high school students get paid work experience through Career Launch class

Internships at rosenbauer america and other employers are funded in part by a minnesota youth skills training grant.

Sara Frasl, left, and Nicole Oelker program a new emergency light for a fire truck at Rosenbauer Motors in Wyoming on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Ray Bjork, a senior at Forest Lake Area High School, talks with teacher Mike Miron while working at Rosenbauer America in Wyoming, Minn. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Sara Frasl uses a cordless battery for power as she programs an emergency light for a fire truck at Rosenbauer America. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Sara Frasl works at Rosenbauer America in Wyoming, Minn. When Forest Lake Area High School holds its next Career Exploration Day, the recent graduate could be among the Rosenbauer contingent. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Sara Frasl thinks that one of the coolest part of her job — building fire trucks at Rosenbauer America in Wyoming, Minn. — is seeing her work out in the community.

“We just had one for Forest Lake come through,” said Frasl, 19, of North Branch. “Like, we literally just built one that is going to save our neighborhoods. It feels good.”

Frasl came to work at Rosenbauer America, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of custom fire trucks, after graduating from Forest Lake Area High School in 2022. She applied for the job using a cover letter and résumé she developed in Mike Miron’s Career Launch class.

The class, which provides experiential learning opportunities to better connect students with workforce demands, is funded in part by a Youth Skills Training grant from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. The grants are intended to offer meaningful career exposure and paid work experience for students 16 years of age and older.

Grants are given in high-growth and in-demand occupations in the industries of advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, health care and information technology. In addition to paid work experience, students get related classroom instruction, safety training and industry-recognized credentials.

Frasl started at Rosenbauer in pre-electrical, which included wiring the bodies of fire trucks, and was then promoted to pump electrical, where she works on pump appliances and communication boards. On a recent weekday, Frasl programmed an upper rear warning light of a rescue truck to alternate red and blue flashing lights, per the Reno, Nev., Fire Department’s specifications.

“We don’t see these sets of lights too often, so I’m going through the instructions to figure out how to program it,” she said. “We need to sync all the lights to the flash pattern they want.”

Frasl said she didn’t know what she wanted to do after graduating from high school, but she said she knew “that trades make good money, and I knew that I was capable of doing it.”

“I took shop classes, and I really enjoyed them,” she said. “Automotive is what really interested me, and I ended up getting introduced to this place and just kind of went, ‘You know what? If they can do it, I can do it.’ So I just kind of went into it blindly. Honestly, I came here not knowing much of anything and got completely trained on the job.”

Fruitful partnership

Rosenbauer has been an important partner for Forest Lake Area High School as the company, which has 530 employees, takes a number of student interns each year, Miron said.

Two of those interns are now working for the company, which builds advanced custom and commercial pumpers, heavy and light rescues, tenders, mini pumpers, aerial ladders and platforms, and electric fire trucks.

The internship program is a win-win for the students and for the company, said Don Anderson, a production supervisor.

“It gives the students a chance to work in the field and see if they’re interested before they actually go and spend a lot of money on education that they may not need,” Anderson said.

It also gives Rosenbauer a chance to test out future employees and see if they would be a good fit, he said.

The internship program gives Rosenbauer “another way to access a talent pool for employment in a tight market,” said Leah Schulz, who works in the company’s human-resources department.

“If a student decides they have other plans after graduation, we still have the benefit of exposing them to our company,” she said. “One day in the future, when they are looking for career opportunities, they may remember Rosenbauer and the different opportunities we have. There is so much value to this type of engagement with young people. I wish programs like this were around when I was in school.”

Raymond Bjork, 18, is a senior at Forest Lake Area High School. He started his paid internship at Rosenbauer last fall. He goes to school in the morning, and then spends his afternoons at the plant.

“It’s a good job,” he said. “It pays pretty well for my age. I can learn pretty much anything here. I’m learning a lot of stuff on the job. I’m getting paid to learn, yeah, it’s pretty awesome.”

Forest Lake is a great example of the types of partnerships that are being created between schools and employers across the state to provide opportunities to students, said Rich Wessels, program manager for Youth Skills Training at the Department of Labor and Industry.

The program was approved by the Minnesota Legislature in 2017, and the first grants given out to support the development and implementation were awarded in 2018. Grant funding totaling $1.5 million is awarded to school-and-employer partnerships around the state each year; the maximum award per partnership is $100,000, and it is spent over a two-year grant performance period, Wessels said.

Schools can participate in the program with or without grant funding. About 60 schools currently have Youth Skills Training programs; 28 of those are receiving grant funding, Wessels said.

The program has been instrumental in terms of addressing workforce challenges by connecting industry with education to provide students with opportunities to learn about and gain hands-on experience in key industries, he said.

‘Ready for a grown-up job’

Forest Lake Area High School has received three Youth Skills Training grants since the program started, said Miron, the school’s career and technical education/work-based learning coordinator.

“We’ve built it over time,” Miron said. “We tried to go slow to go fast. We were deliberate about putting the right foundation in place, to try to make sure that we were putting our students and, quite frankly, our businesses in a good cooperative position to be successful.”

The school has partnered with a number of local businesses, including Rosenbauer, Velocity, South Shore Veterinary Hospital, Midwest Machinery Co., Westfall Technik, Regal Machine, Waterjet and Aggressive Hydraulics.

Students can choose from a number of electives: manufacturing, automotive, agriculture, health care and information technology.

In order for students to be considered for an internship, they have to have taken at least three Pathway courses, he said. Once they decide what field they want to pursue, they take Miron’s Career Launch class, a professional skills class. “It’s about getting them ready for a grown-up type of a job, skilled employment,” he said.

Students learn how to create a résumé, write cover letters and fill out applications. They also earn an OSHA-10 safety certification, which teaches students how to recognize and prevent safety hazards in the workplace.

The class includes attending Career Exploration Day at the high school, where students learn about possible careers by attending sessions hosted by community members representing a variety of fields, Miron said. Students also are able to go on tours of different businesses, he said.

“We really do a deep dive in helping them figure out what it is they want to do and give them opportunities to go explore that a little bit more, so that by the time we’re talking about getting an internship, we’ve had an opportunity to get to know each other, and we can vet them a little bit,” Miron said. “So when I reach out to a company like Rosenbauer, I can say, ‘I have a student who is interested in electrical. Is there an opportunity on your electrical team?’ We really try to find the right fit with a company.”

Employers must be approved before student learners are placed.

“We can place 16-, 17- and 18-year-old students, but there’s a lot of prohibited work under child-labor laws — work that they can’t do — so a company like Rosenbauer has to agree to a vetting process from the Department of Labor and Industry,” he said.

Said Molly Bonnett, the school’s career and college coordinator: “We tell students it’s like an opportunity to access a bypass lane because they have been developing skills and because they have the OSHA-10 safety credential, they then have the opportunity to work in a position that they would never have the opportunity if they walked in off the street. That’s the exciting part: to see them develop those skills.”

Academic, technical, employability skills

About half of the Class of 2023 from Forest Lake Area High School went on to a four-year college, and about 20 percent went to a two-year college. The rest of the breakdown was: military, 5 percent; apprenticeship, 5 percent; and going right to work or taking a gap year, 23 percent, she said.

Some high schools have either a college track or a career navigator track, but not Forest Lake, Bonnett said.

“That is not our model at all,” she said. “We are there to serve students, regardless of their plan. We very much hold dear the philosophy that it is a marriage of academic, technical and employability skills that needs to be developed through high school. So it’s not technical skills for kids going to work, and academic skills for kids going to college. No, it’s all three for everybody.”

The more credits a student has, the more time they can spend at work, Miron said. Students also receive credit for taking Miron’s class, “so they’re working, they’re getting paid and they’re receiving credit towards graduation,” he said.

The program isn’t just for students who are planning to go right to work after graduation, Miron said. “We have students who want to be engineers, but they’re getting some practical hands-on experience on a production floor before they go to school,” he said.

Students interested in becoming veterinarians have a chance to be placed at South Shore Veterinary Hospital, Miron said. “I have a student now who wants to go work on a large-animal farm because she knows she’s going to need exposure to working with those types of animals before she becomes a veterinarian,” he said.

‘We built that!’

Frasl said she is not sure how long she will continue working at Rosenbauer. She’s gotten really interested in electrical theory, so she might go back to school to study residential and commercial electrical technology, she said.

“I’ve been training some of the new people who come in,” she said. “Everyone who typically comes in has been put on my team to kind of learn with me. I want them to understand how our trucks get put together and where things go, but I also want them to understand the theory behind it, and why it works, so when something goes wrong, they know what to look for and know how to fix it.”

Frasl has memorized most, if not all, of the colors and numbers of the dozens of wires that go into each fire truck.

“Every wire goes to a different thing,” she said. “We’ve got the right door, the left door, the horn, the dome light, the alarm, the side-warning light. … If somebody says, ‘OK, Sara, we need a dome-light wire,’ I know it’s going to be gray, so I’m like, ‘OK, it’s right here.’ Certain trucks have the same wires in every one: Every truck is going to have a backup light; every truck is going to have turn signals. I got used to seeing those colors so often that I memorized them.”

Frasl’s favorite fire truck to work on to date has been a portable hazardous material truck for Orange County, Calif., that had “slide-outs in it like a camper,” she said. “It was easily one of the most complex wiring jobs I’ve ever had to do. They had tens of hundreds of feet of wire that we had to run on it. I’ve never seen another one like that.”

When the school holds its next Career Exploration Day, Bonnett is hoping that Frasl will be among the Rosenbauer contingent.

Frasl offered to bring in photos of some of the jobs she has worked on. “Everyone just thinks it’s so cool,” she said. “It’s so colorful and stuff, but in reality, once you get down to it, your brain just, like, simplifies it. It’s like math equations.”

Frasl said she is especially proud that the fire trucks she helps build are being “used for good.” Rosenbauer trucks generally have an “R” on them.

“It’s cool when you’re out, and you see one of our own fire trucks out at a scene,” she said. “I think, ‘Hey, we built that!’ That’s why we are here. That’s our mission.”

Minnesota Youth Skills Training program

To date, 67 grants have been awarded to partnerships throughout the state and provided 92,790 students with the opportunity to participate in programs at 201 businesses and organizations approved by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

About 46,500 students have completed or are taking classes and receiving safety training directly related to the five YST industries. In addition, 3,419 students have received an industry-recognized credential and 1,022 students have participated in paid work experience in one of these industries.

There currently are 60 Youth Skills Training programs across the state, 28 of them funded by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry:

• Forest Lake Area Schools
• Roseville Area Schools
• Stillwater Area High School
• Bemidji Area School District
• Mankato Area Public Schools
• Chisago Lakes School District
• Milaca Public Schools
• East Grand Forks Public Schools
• Spark-Y Youth Action Labs
• Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
• Genesys Works Twin Cities
• Otter Tail County (OTC Works)
• Alexandria Area High School
• Breckenridge High School
• Edina Public Schools
• Faribault Public Schools
• Hibbing School District
• ISD #728 (Elk River, Otsego, Rogers, Zimmerman)
• Monticello Public Schools
• Owatonna Public Schools
• Workforce Development, Inc.
• Venture Academy High School
• Career Solutions – Stearns and Benton Counties
• Minnewaska Area High School
• North Branch Area High School
• Princeton Public Schools
• Windom Area High School

(Source: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry)

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College internships matter more than ever — but not everyone can get one

Some colleges, companies are working to broaden access to internships, while diversifying the talent pipeline for employers.

When Kim Churches took on the job as head of The Washington Center, a nonprofit organization that provides college students with internships, she was on a mission. It was the fall of 2021. The United States was just emerging from months of lockdowns and all-remote work and learning, which had exposed and exacerbated huge inequities in educational opportunities.

“I wanted to ensure greater inclusion,” Churches said — which, in her case, meant expanding access to internships, particularly for students from historically underrepresented groups.

Internships have long been a coveted component of the college experience, but now the pressure to secure them — and to secure them earlier — is growing, as students and their parents look for ways to stand out on job applications, universities work to demonstrate a high return on investment and employers increasingly rely on internships as part of their strategies to recruit and vet candidates. But traditional internships are not universally accessible.

“At any college now, the first thing the parents ask is, ‘How are the internships?’ ” said Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “It’s a prized commodity.”

Groups like The Washington Center have built their reputations by placing students in high-quality summer or semester-long internships. But these often pay little or no money and require interns to fund their own travel and housing — thereby excluding many students. Recognizing that, The Washington Center and other organizations have in recent years created new programs to serve a broader pool of learners.

“Not everybody is a traditional 18- to 22-year-old student,” Churches said. “Not everybody can take an internship out of their geographic area for a full summer or semester.”

Nationwide, slightly more than 60 percent of students who graduated in 2023 completed an internship during college, according to survey data collected by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. At elite universities, that figure was much higher — almost 90 percent at the University of Pennsylvania, for example, according to the school’s career services office.

But at the City College of New York, where two-thirds of students receive Pell Grants , only 35 to 40 percent of students typically complete an internship before graduation, school administrators said.

“I would think that number would be higher for those who wanted to do one but couldn’t,” said Katie Nailler, director of the college’s Career and Professional Development Institute.

The college tries to make sure students get paid or at least subsidized when they do an internship. It sponsors paid internships itself with faculty members and college centers. And it partners with external organizations such as LifeSci NYC, a public-private initiative to support the STEM industry in New York, to place students in paid summer or academic-year internships.

But in addition to programs that pay students, “We also need programs that are flexible,” said Francesca Anselmi, executive director of the Office for Experiential Learning at City College, pointing out that many students have year-round jobs and need to keep them in the summer.

On the other side of the equation, employers are increasingly turning to internships as part of their recruiting pipeline.

Erica Kryst, executive director of Cornell Career Services, said that in more than 10 years working in this field, she has seen employers — especially big companies in finance, consulting and tech — increasingly focus on college juniors they hire as interns rather than on seniors applying for full-time jobs.

“Internships are almost viewed as a long-term interview process,” she said.

Eight out of 10 employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers said that internships provided the best return on investment as a recruiting strategy, compared with career fairs, on-campus visits, panels or other activities. Between two similar job candidates, an internship in the industry is “the number-one tiebreaker,” said Joshua Kahn, associate director of research and public policy at NACE.

“There’s a race to get talent early,” said Barbara Hewitt, executive director of career services at the University of Pennsylvania. That, in turn, has resulted in a “focus on getting practical experience in many ways earlier in students’ academic careers,” Hewitt said.

Today, students have more options for earning that type of experience. The Washington Center, for example, last year began offering fully funded, short-term career-readiness programs. One was a cybersecurity program, consisting of a paid virtual “micro-internship” and online training in professional skills. The program also included an all-expenses-paid gathering in Washington, where participants visited Amazon and Verizon offices, attended technical workshops and listened to speakers from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

Ninety percent of the program’s participants were from historically underrepresented groups, and 60 percent were first-generation college students, according to The Washington Center. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 43.

“This met my needs,” said Faris Nabeel, 26. Nabeel, who was the first in his family to go to college, was working overnight shifts as a behavioral health associate while also studying full time at the University of Arkansas. The program was his first opportunity to participate in a professional internship. It was remote, roughly 10 hours a week for eight weeks, and consisted of researching and helping plan an event in the U.S. Virgin Islands to increase awareness about cybersecurity. He earned a $500 stipend.

Nabeel credited the internship with helping him build new skills, get into a master’s degree program in cybersecurity and land his current job as a security operations center analyst.

But, he said, “if it was in person, I probably would have enjoyed it more,” noting that the time difference with his East Coast employer, remote communication and online distractions made the job harder. And if he had been employed as a full-time, salaried intern, he said, he could have focused exclusively on that experience and learned more.

While groups like The Washington Center have been around for decades, several new internship organizations have sprung up in recent years, offering programs that broaden access.

U.K.-based Virtual Internships was established in 2018 with the goal of removing barriers to internship participation, especially abroad, co-founder Ed Holroyd Pearce said. The program offers fully remote internships that last one to four months, require a commitment of 10, 20 or 30 hours per week, and have start dates throughout the year. It also includes access to an online curriculum in professional skills development.

Its biggest market is the United States, Holroyd Pearce said. The company partners with universities, colleges and governments, which typically fund the program or grant academic credit — often to students who face barriers to getting work experience.

Virtual Internships partners with a Canadian organization funded by the government, for example, on a program that trains workers who are changing or transitioning careers. And the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, also working with the company, identifies first-year students with the least work experience and helps place them in internships to give them a boost as they apply for summer positions during their sophomore and junior years.

Virtual Internships’ survey data shows that supervisors’ perceptions of the interns’ abilities on core career-readiness skills such as communication, critical thinking and teamwork increased substantially during the internships. About a quarter of interns receive offers to extend or get hired full time, Holroyd Pearce said.

Micro-internships like Nabeel’s are another relatively new option. Chicago-based Parker Dewey, which launched in 2016, facilitates short-term contract projects, such as blogging, social media or data cleanup, that typically are done remotely, require 10 to 40 hours of work total and pay $20 to $25 per hour.

Students respond to one or more short-answer questions when they apply — and employers, who aren’t allowed to filter applicants by GPA or major, weigh those answers more heavily than the students’ résumés or pedigrees, chief executive Jeffrey Moss said.

“Essentially what we’ve done is lowered the stakes for both students and employers,” Moss said. “The employer can ‘take a chance’ on someone who came from a different background, not a finance major with a 3.7 GPA.”

That in turn, Moss said, creates an opportunity for the student, who might land a summer internship or full-time role as a result. It also drives behavior change at the employer company, which now has access to and can recruit from a more diverse student pool, Moss said.

More than 80 percent of students selected for Parker Dewey’s micro-internships come from populations that are underrepresented in the workforce, including first-generation, Pell-eligible, adult-learner, veteran and racial or ethnic minority students, Moss said.

Still, Moss added, micro-internships are “a feeder and a complement” to summer internships — not a replacement.

In 2022, City College of New York announced a new partnership with Braven, a national nonprofit founded in 2013 with the goal of promoting economic mobility by getting students from underrepresented groups into a “strong first job” or graduate school after college.

Braven runs a three-credit career development course inside its partner schools, which in addition to City College include Lehman College in the Bronx; Rutgers University-Newark; Spelman College, in Atlanta; and San José State University, among others.

In the semester-long course, volunteers from employer partners coach and mentor a small cohort of students on career skills, including leadership, problem-solving and communication. Students must apply for internships, ideally completing two in person and for pay before they graduate.

“We are very clear about what a high-quality internship looks like, and you need to get paid,” founder and chief executive Aimée Eubanks Davis said.

After the course, students continue to receive mentoring, invitations to network, listings for jobs and internships, and guidance to help them apply. Over 2½ years, Braven follows its students to see if they are on track for their postgraduate goals — and intervenes if they’re not.

The model appears to be working. In 2023, 60 percent of Braven “fellows” landed in quality jobs or graduate schools within six months of graduation, compared with 43 percent of their peers nationally, according to the organization.

Kahn, of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, said that third-party internship providers and programs provide a crucial bridge between students and employers, offering experience and networking that otherwise might not be available to historically underrepresented students.

But ultimately, he said, the best and most sustainable solution is for employers to offer more paid internships — as many large companies already do.

“Interns provide valuable insights, creativity and skills on real projects that organizations can monetize,” he wrote in an email.

Without such pay, many students will continue to have limited options for participating in internships.

Alexandra Sandoval Flores, a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, saved money from three jobs and took out loans to pay for her internship at a legal firm in Spain last summer. The experience “changed my life,” she said, opening her eyes to new career possibilities as well as a new culture.

But she could only afford to go for four weeks and wished she had been able to stay longer.

“Coming from someone who is an immigrant, a minority, Hispanic, Latina, it’s very heartbreaking to know that a lot of us deserve these opportunities and we can’t get them,” Sandoval Flores said. “We know we have the qualities for them, and the only thing holding us back is the financial side.”

This story about college internships was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter .

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Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

Description of Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

• Location: Moscow, Russia
• Year of foundation: 1921
• Language of instruction: Russian
• Forms of education: full-time, part-time, part-time, distance
• Number of students: about 9000
• Type of education: mixed.

Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) is an industry university, the main profiles of which are information technology, security, telecommunications. In 1921, the Moscow Electrotechnical Institute of People's Communications was opened, which became the predecessor of the current MTUSI. At the moment, about 9,000 students study here, with about 500 highly qualified teachers in the teaching staff.

The university has faculties in the following areas:

• Information Technologies
• Radio, television
• Networks, communication systems
• Cybernetics, information security
• Two distance learning centres
• Department of Individual Training
• Advanced training, retraining.

MTUSI also has a college that provides students with secondary vocational education. The university is trained in bachelor's, specialist's, master's, postgraduate programs.

Programs and prices, tuition fees in Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

College of telecommunications at mtuci.

• Age – grades 9-11 of school
• The form under consideration is full-time
• The training period is 2-4 years.
• Multi-channel telecommunication systems
• Radio communication, radio broadcasting, television
• Communication networks, switching systems
• Network, system administration
• Ensuring information security of telecommunication systems
• Infocommunication networks, communication systems.

Specialist Degree

• Age – from 17 years (completed secondary education)
• The training period is 4-5 years.
• Business Informatics
• Advertising, Public Relations
• Fundamental Informatics, Information Technologies
• Radio engineering
• Applied Informatics
• Infocommunication technologies, communication systems
• Automation of technological processes, production
• Informatics, Computer Engineering
• Applied mathematics
• Information systems, technologies
• Control in technical systems
• Information security
• Information security of telecommunication systems.
• Age – from 22 years (bachelors, specialists)
• The training period is 2 years.
• Information security.

Postgraduate study

• Age – Masters
• The training period is 3-4 years.
• Mathematics, mechanics
• Electronics, radio engineering, communication systems
• Physics, astronomy

Preparation of a dissertation without mastering the program for postgraduate students who do not study at MTUCI

• Age – phD students
• The cost of training per semester is 30 000 rubles.
• Radio engineering, systems, television devices
• Systems, networks, devices.

Accommodation, meals, prices

For accommodation, three buildings of dormitories for 230 places for bachelors, 30 places for the placement of masters were built. Each living room is shared by 2-3 people, common areas: kitchens, toilets and showers, laundries, self-study classes.

Activities Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

MTUSI has many options for extracurricular activities:

• Intellectual games
• Thematic festivals, music concerts, creative exhibitions
• Spartakiads, national teams: team sports, table tennis, aerobics, ski trips
• Social work, volunteering.

In social networks, students regularly publish photos, videos in the column "Through the eyes of the Student".

For pupils of MTUSI, a competition of scientific works is organized, the winners of which have the opportunity to receive a grant for research activities, payment for foreign tuition, etc.

• Member of the European Society for Engineering Education, the Association of Business Cooperation of International Departments of Universities of Central and Eastern Europe, the Council for Work with Foreign Graduates of Russian Universities
• Development laboratories of Japan, USA
• Opportunity to get a STP
• About 130 international, national partners
• 85% of students are employed immediately after receiving a diploma.

Facilities and equipment at Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

Training takes place on three campuses in Moscow. On the territories there are:

• Buildings of faculties, institutes: classrooms, computer classes
• Scientific and technical library with a fund of 600,000 copies of books, electronic resources, periodicals
• Laboratories with equipment for conducting practices, experiments, research
• Event Center
• Printing house, publishing house
• Educational and sports complexes: games, gyms
• Museum of the History of Telecommunications
• Canteens, buffets
• Medical centers.

Many buildings are equipped with ramps, buttons for calling the duty officer for comfortable visits to MTUSI by people with disabilities.

• Rostov-on-Don
• Nizhny Novgorod.

Admission dates and extra charges

There are two semesters in the academic year, two sessions in winter and summer. The number of pairs per day depends on the schedule of the group, the beginning of the school day is 9:30, the end is 18:25. One pair lasts 1.5 hours.

Holidays are held in winter, summer, on public holidays.

Additional costs:

• Books, consumables
• Medical care
• Personal spending.

Entry requirements, how to apply, what is required to enrol

In the college at MTUSI you can get a secondary vocational education.

All applicants can attend Open Days, practical classes, participate in Olympiads. You can apply for admission when registering in the Personal Account on the official website of the institution.

To enroll in ACT programs, you will need:

• Application for admission, consent to enrollment
• Certificate of completion of 9th or 11th grades of school
• Individual achievements if available
• Results of the Unified State Exam if available
• Personal documents (passport, SNILS, etc.).

Future bachelors, specialists should be provided with:

• Certificate of completion of 11 grades of school, scorecard
• Personal documents (passport, SNILS, military ID if available, etc.)
• Documents entitling to special rights (benefits)
• Results of the Unified State Exam.

Applicants to master's and postgraduate programs should be provided with:

• Bachelor's/Specialist's/Master's Degree, Evaluation Sheet
• Individual achievements if available.

Documents are accepted from June to August. Entrance tests are held in July-September.

Scholarships Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics — MTUCI

Scholarship programs:

• Scholarships based on entrance points: from 6000 to 20 000 rub. per month
• Awards to winners, prize-winners of Olympiads accepted without entrance tests: 40 000 rubles per month
• Winners of the competition of student scientific works
• State programs: academic, social, increased types of scholarships
• Scholarship of the President, the Government of the Russian Federation
• Material support for students in need
• Personal scholarships.

Material assistance is provided on the basis of the needs, social criteria of the student.

Institution on the map

Residence permits, citizenship and other services.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision

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School of Nursing

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School of Nursing Bend Program

Join us in bend.

The OHSU School of Nursing, Portland campus, is expanding to Central Oregon to start a new Bend cohort for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program . The accelerated nursing program will take place on the Central Oregon Community College (COCC) campus.

Read more about this new partnership in the OHSU News announcement .

Why our Bend location

Bend is the largest city in Central Oregon but has small-town roots and charm. Bend offers its residents outdoor adventures, thoughtful dining choices, a haven for craft beer lovers, and a very active cultural life with multiple performing spaces both outdoors and indoors.

The Deschutes River runs right through the city's center, providing views and activities year-round; while Mt. Bachelor keeps watch from the near horizon. Bend’s proximity to multiple natural wonders means its residents can kayak, ski, or hike on the same day.

Student experience

This will primarily be a face-to-face program held at COCC; some courses will be delivered online.  Students will be required to do clinical hours; these will take place at St. Charles Hospital and community locations in Bend and surrounding areas, including Redmond, La Pine, Madras, Warm Springs, and Prineville.

Clinical sites

Clinical experiences will be offered in Bend and the surrounding area. A list of specific community health spaces will be added soon.

Student resources

Below are some commonly referenced resources by OHSU School of Nursing students:

• Learning and Writing Support 
• Registration
• Student Affairs
• Student government
• Student organizations

For specific questions related to the Bend cohort, please reach out to the Admissions team at [email protected] .

Scholarships available

OHSU offers a variety of scholarships that can help fund your education.

Explore scholarships

Special Olympics Coaches Pave the Way for Women in Football With the Help of Nike

The work sport has done and continues to do for Special Olympics athletes to promote development and peace all over the world is helping to further inclusive communities for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

Over the past nine months, Nike sponsored a Coach+ initiative called the Nike Unified Football Leagues Development project, providing coaches with additional training and growth opportunities. Additionally, the project sought to provide more leadership opportunities for women in the form of coaching—with this, these coaches were empowered to be role models, educate themselves and progress in their abilities and skills.

329 coaches participated in instruction designed to better include girls and women, with and without intellectual disability, to participate in football (soccer). 5 of the coaches who participated are part of Special Olympics: Susan David ( Special Olympics Namibia ), Marijana Obradovic ( Special Olympics Serbia ), Iveny Smara Reyes Puente ( Special Olympics Chile ), Jerussa Kangwana ( Special Olympics Kenya ) and María Fernanda Rossell ( Special Olympics Guatemala ).

“I continue to coach because I want to see fellow young females to be inspired and join the world of sport.”

The Nike project provided the tools, guidelines, educational resources and platform for the coaches to learn from one another’s experiences. Through Nike’s funding of the project, participants received personalized feedback and had the opportunity to learn from coaching professionals who addressed areas of success and improvement when trying to make various drills and training more inclusive for athletes. One important lesson was understanding how impactful a coach’s guidance can be on the outcome of a sporting event, player or game. “I believe continuous learning is key to staying updated with the latest coaching techniques, strategies, and inclusive practices and since I recently just joined coaching there is so much to learn” voiced Susan Davis.

The participants, supported by Nike project facilitator Coach+, were able to engage a team of experienced coach developers with rich knowledge of coaching. These developers assisted in guiding the coaches in creating sustainable training education programs, resources and learning opportunities, which will not only benefit the cohort of coaches involved in this project, but also those who join the program in the future.

Breaking Down Boundaries

The expert knowledge of Coach+ will help to break down gender and social stereotypes women in sport continue to face today. An article from iSportConnect states, “Changing cultural attitudes towards gender roles and stereotypes have contributed to the acceptance and normalization of women’s participation in sports. Efforts to challenge traditional notions of femininity, promote diversity and inclusion, and celebrate athleticism in all its forms have created more supportive environments for girls and women to participate in sports and pursue their athletic aspirations.” With the increased education and awareness newly gained by David, Obradovic, Puente, Kangwana and Rossell, these coaches can now relate to and accomplish more together as they work to grow the sport of football in each of their respective Regions.

“I want to see these female athletes achieve their goals and expose their talent. I also want the community to accept athletes fully.”

Social Impact

For Special Olympics athletes, skills learned from their respective coaches are carried over into their daily lives including interactions with friends, families, at work and in other settings. The influence of a Special Olympics coach goes beyond trainings and competitions. Without their continued efforts to develop athletes on and off the field, Special Olympics would not be able to achieve all that it has in the realm of inclusion thus far.

Not every footballer or football team wants to compete at the highest or most competitive levels, but there are reasons athletes continue to return to practice and compete week-after-week. A good coach can set up a training environment, a great coach makes that environment fun, drills exciting, learning new skills a desired achievement and so much more. Coaches support Special Olympics Programs around the world by knowing their athletes, their abilities and their goals. Personal knowledge allows the coach to understand the desires of each athlete and help them create a training regimen that enables the athlete to work towards achieving that goal.

“The most important thing in this work is to know each athlete, to know their limitations, to know their skills and to always remember that each one is unique. Because sometimes, the mistake that a coach often makes, is to consider everyone as the same,” shared María Fernanda Rossell (Special Olympics Guatemala)

Support and Growth

After the Nike Coaching project concluded, the coaches were excited to implement what they had learned into their local Programs. David shared, “The experience instilled in me a profound understanding of inclusive coaching methodologies, honing my ability to adapt training sessions for athletes with diverse abilities. Overall, the Nike project has not only boosted my confidence as a coach but has also equipped me with a versatile set of skills, positioning me well for coaching endeavors in the future with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and community building.”

Special Olympics Kenya’s Jerussa Kangwana was already able to implement what she learned even before the project was over by getting more athletes to join her local Special Olympics football team. “I am now ready to coach Special Olympics athletes. I will be courageous, and I will help them to discover their own strengths and abilities and encourage them build upon those strengths and improve day by day.”

Through Coach+ and the support of Nike, these five Special Olympics coaches, plus the other 324 participants, now have a better mindset, skillset and leadership abilities when coaching their athletes. The remarkable impact the coaches will collectively have on thousands of athletes around the world will be undeniable. Additionally, the Nike project has provided countless opportunities for girls and women to take part in football trainings and competitions, benefitting their health, fitness, social lives and all-around wellbeing. The tireless efforts of coaches remain at the heart of Special Olympics’ success and making sure our athletes are able to do, and be, anything they dream of.

“I will take with me the importance of team participation, the importance of regular trainings, and the importance of educating young female athletes about the significance of taking part in sports and looking after their health. Their equal inclusion in all aspects of society and their exchanges with athletes without ID is also a very important part of what I will be continuing to work on.”

Special Olympics coaches bios

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Onboarding New Employees — Without Overwhelming Them

• Julia Phelan

Give people the space and time they need to thrive in their new job.

A great onboarding experience can keep new hires engaged and committed, and increase their learning and preparedness for their new role. In trying to ensure new employees feel supported and properly prepared, some organizations flood new hires with far too much information. Even if managers have the best intentions, bombarding new hires with tasks  — such as asking them to read every single page of the employee manual or requiring them to get set-up on Slack, email, Box, and all the other platforms all at once — will backfire. Three strategies can help organizations mitigate this overload and ensure employees have the space, time, and mental resources available to learn and thrive in their new job.

We know that effectively onboarding new employees has huge value. A good onboarding process — with clear information on job requirements, organizational norms, and performance expectations — not only enhances employee productivity but helps increase loyalty and engagement, and decrease s turnover .

• JP Julia Phelan , Ph.D. is a learning design consultant and expert in applying learning science principles to create effective learning experiences. She works with organizations to help build a strong workplace learning culture by improving training design, implementation, and outcomes. She is the co-founder of To Eleven , and a former UCLA education research scientist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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