Employment Services
Employment often comes with a distinct sense of pride, responsibility and personal satisfaction. And for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a job can lead to greater independence, confidence and improved quality of life.
Cole Vocational Services, a partner of California MENTOR, strives to create successful employment experiences for the individual, as well as the employer. Our wide range of employment services helps individuals find and maintain meaningful jobs in California.
Supported Employment
Our Supported Employment program offers vocational training and other job-related resources to help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities achieve goals and thrive in the working world. We carefully match individuals with employers based on interests and skills and provide full training and job assistance to ensure continued success. Individuals meet with a job developer, who assesses their unique skills and interests to develop a personalized employment plan.
Our program also helps employers hire capable workers and make a positive impact on the community. We offer support and guidance to help employers successfully integrate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities into the workplace.
Personalized Job Searches
Once the initial assessment is complete, our job developers work with the individual to find an appropriate position through:
- Online searches
- Cold calls
- Walk-ins
- Job fairs
- Monthly mixers
- Existing leads with employers
Job Readiness
We understand that the individuals we serve are competing for jobs with the rest of the working world. For that reason, we work with the individuals to ensure that they have the best chance of landing the position in which they are most interested.
Our job developers assist with:
- Creating resumes
- Conducting mock interviews
- Finding recruitment specialists to speak about similar job-related topics
Job Coaching
Our job coaches are in place to ensure that individuals have the support they need to meet their responsibilities. We have been able to help individuals thrive in a range of positions and create valuable relationships with local businesses, such as:
- J.C. Penny
- K-Mart
- Carl’s Jr.
- Vons
- Grocery Outlet
The job coaches support employees from the day they get hired, helping them become oriented to their new workplace and ensuring they are positioned for success.
Network of Employers
We continuously reach out to employers in the community to expand employment options for the individuals we serve. With a growing network of employment partners, we are able to customize plans and find meaningful jobs that meet the needs and interests of each individual. Contact your local office to find out more about our Supported Employment program.