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Planning for Successful Employment


Welcome back as we continue to discuss Employability Skills and the Local Industry standards. We will continue to look at ways you can support your individual NOW for competitive employment. We will pick back up looking at Workplace Tolerances. 


Physical Abilities and Workplace Tolerances: Tolerate Environmental Conditions for Job of Interest

This means an employee can tolerate the conditions of the job as defined in the job description. For example, individuals who have seizures that are triggered by heat wouldn’t seek outdoor positions and be able to recognize and explain this. The important part of this is distinguishing between tolerate and unhealthy. For example, I can tolerate fluorescent lighting, but find it helpful to eat lunch outside to have a break from it. These are skills and strategies that can and should be taught. 


Family Practice Ideas:

  1. When in various settings, discuss ways to keep healthy and safe. For example, when at a community event outside, when and how to reapply sunscreen, recognizing when the body feels too hot, taking a water bottle, and identifying people to ask for help if they begin to not feel well. 

  2. Set goals for increasing stamina at places you frequent like the local zoo. Over time increase the number of sections you walk to without a break. 

  3. Identify conditions that are not safe for your child based on their health conditions. For example, if they have conditions that don’t tolerate heat well help them to recognize how long they can be exposed, symptoms that will occur if they are out longer than they should be and how to voice they need to cool off. 

  4. Visit settings that interest them and discuss conditions they like and dislike. Can they tolerate the disliked conditions to be able to work someplace they enjoy? For example, to see their favorite movie, they can be in the park when it is hot outside to enjoy the movie offered at the park on a large screen. 


School Practice Ideas:

  1. Work with the school team to distinguish breaks over time as it is tolerated. Many times breaks are given because they’ve always been given and because it’s uncomfortable (for staff and student) to give them up, but it really isn’t necessary to have them. 

  2. Have staff work with your student to identify ways they can stay completing a task longer with a slight change. For example, I start working on an IEP sitting at my desk, but after about 30 minutes, I use the standing option and a trip to the water fountain to be able to continue working. Could they do something similar?

  3. Work with staff to help your child identify body signals that they need a break instead of just taking a scheduled break. (i.e. less concentration, more mistakes, wiggling, yawning) Teach this by saying, “I see you looking around more should we walk to the water fountain then stand to work when we get back?”


How can you and your individual’s IEP team begin using these ideas now? Check back in the next blog for the next installment of how you can begin supporting your individual now for competitive employment. 



 

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