Purpose
For people with and without disabilities, employment provides opportunities for professional growth, financial stability, expansion of one’s personal network, personal fulfillment, and self-respect. “Employment First” is a national initiative which prioritizes the importance of individuals with disabilities pursuing employment of their choice in integrated settings, earning competitive wages equal to their workplace colleagues. The Boggs Center Employment Team, in collaboration with the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities, promotes the principles of Employment First statewide through the provision of evidence-based professional development trainings and agency-specific technical assistance. The purpose of this project is to increase the capacity of supported employment providers to fulfill the mission of Employment First.
Training
The Employment Project provides in-person and virtual training for job coaches, job developers, directors, and leaders of New Jersey supported employment service providers. The Boggs Center Employment Team delivers the state-mandated Employment Specialist Foundations training series for all new supported employment staff in New Jersey. Supplemental training topics include integration of technology into job coaching practices, access to and utilization of assistive technology, financial literacy, situational assessments, management and leadership development, customer relations, ethics, disability legislation, and social supports in the workplace. These trainings are also available for educators and administrators of transition programs serving students aged 18-21, as well as self-advocates and their families.
For current training opportunities, please visit The Boggs Center Online Registration System.
Technical Assistance
Technical assistance is available in-person or virtually to New Jersey supported employment providers. Through a structured TA plan, the Employment Project will discuss and target the current needs of your agency and provide information and resources to meet those needs. Common goal areas for technical assistance include implementing person-centered planning and the creation of vocational profiles, strategies for job development, technology integration, working effectively with parents and families, and reviewing case examples. For more information contact robert.kimmel@rutgers.edu or lisa.thomas@rutgers.edu.
