Your child has a bright future ahead. Through the Level Up Program, the Connecticut Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) helps students with disabilities discover their strengths and explore career possibilities. Job exploration builds confidence and prepares students for life after high school. Here are the answers to your most important questions.
What is job exploration for students with disabilities?
Job exploration means helping students discover different types of jobs and learning what work they might enjoy. Through the Level Up Program, BRS starts this process with students as young as 16 years old. Students learn about various careers, visit workplaces, and try different tasks to see what fits their interests and skills.
Early job exploration gives students time to make informed choices about their future.
Ready to learn more? Fill out our contact form to connect with a BRS Level Up counselor today.
Why does job exploration matter?
Job exploration helps students build confidence in their abilities. When students try different types of work early, they learn:
- What kinds of jobs interest them
- What skills they already have
- What new skills they want to learn
- How to talk about their strengths
- What accommodations might help them succeed
Students who explore careers early feel more prepared and confident about their future. They make better decisions about college, training programs, or entering the workforce.
When should my child start career exploration?
We recommend that students start working with the Level Up Program two years prior to high school graduation. The Level Up Program can support students ages 16-22. Starting at age 16 or 17 gives students the most time to explore different career paths and build job skills that they will need to transition from school to meaningful employment.
What does career exploration look like through Level Up?
The Level Up Program provides several ways for students to explore careers:
Workplace Tours: Students visit different businesses to see various jobs in action and ask employees questions about their work.
Job Shadowing: Students spend time watching someone do their job to learn what a typical workday looks like.
Informational Interviews: Students talk with workers in fields that interest them to learn about career paths and required skills.
Career Inventories: Level Up counselors help students identify their strengths and interests to match them with suitable career options.
Hands-On Activities: Students try different work tasks through work-based learning opportunities to discover what they enjoy and what comes naturally to them.
How does career exploration connect to employment support?
Career exploration is the first step in employment support for students with disabilities. Once students know what interests them, Level Up counselors help them:
- Find work-based learning experiences in those fields
- Learn the specific skills needed for those jobs
- Build connections with employers
- Plan their education or training path
- Connect with a Transition Counselor prior to high school graduation to plan a path towards education, training and employment
- Develop confidence in their chosen direction
This process turns exploration into action and helps students move toward their work goals.
What if my child doesn't know what career they want?
That's perfectly normal and exactly why job exploration exists. Many students don't know what they want to do, and that's okay. The Level Up Program helps students discover possibilities they might not have considered.
How does job exploration prepare students for post-secondary education?
Job exploration helps students make smart choices about education after high school. When students know what careers interest them, they can choose:
- The right college major or program
- Job training that leads to specific careers
- Certificate programs that match their goals
- Apprenticeships in fields they've explored
Level Up counselors provide post-secondary education guidance that connects career interests to educational paths. Students feel more confident about their choices because they understand how education leads to the work they want to do.
Ready to Get Started?
Career confidence starts with exploration. Employment support for students with disabilities begins when students discover what they can do and what they want to achieve.
The Level Up Program is ready to help your child explore careers, build skills, and plan their future.
Take the first step today. Contact us by filling out our form and a counselor will reach out to your family.