Special Needs Adults Successful Job Placement Programs

Characteristics of Successful Job Placement Programs for Special Needs Adults
Introduction
Involvement in employment activities is deemed across the globe as one of the significant transition results for young adults with disabilities. The capability to partake in stable employment is considered a prosperous school to work environment transition outcome. Notably, persons with learning disabilities can make a significant contribution to the economy (Harun et al., 2019). Nonetheless, obtaining employment opportunities continues to be a major problem for disabled persons across the globe. Disabled persons constitute one of the biggest diversity groups within the workplace environment. However, regardless of the progressions in diversity and inclusion practices at work, the placement and career advancement for disabled persons continue to be problematic without a doubt. Numerous employers cling on to stereotypical philosophies lacking evidence and poorly perceive persons with disabilities (Bonaccio et al., 2019). There is a major disparity in job placements for disabled persons compared to persons without disabilities. The goal of this research is to extensively examine the characteristics of successful job placement programs for adults with special needs.
Research Problem or Issue
Almost everyone in the world will experience difficulties at one point or another in their lives. Nonetheless, people with special needs face every greater and more sustained challenge than anyone else. Successful job placement programs aimed at special needs adults are a major challenge in the present day (Alias, 2014). Job placement programs for persons with special needs are recognized to bring forth opportunities and prospects for persons learning disabilities to gain work experience in an actual work environment. The program provides training activities and also a chance to go for an internship or full-time employment to gain work experience (Alias, 2014). People with special needs experience numerous barriers in attaining a job. Gaining entry into work and finding a suitable job position is a major challenge for this group.
Following WHO, some of the factors giving rise to these challenges include a lack of adequate training and education, the work environment, discrimination, and also marginalization. Therefore, successful job placement programs for persons with disabilities consider these factors (Rozali et al., 2017). Bonaccio et al. (2019) indicate that despite the legislations put in place regarding diversity within the workplace setting, persons with disabilities and special needs still face challenges in work opportunities and work prospects as their counterparts without disabilities. Obtaining a job opportunity for an adult with disabilities is a major problem, based on the inclination of employers opting not to hire those with special needs (Alias, 2014). Disabled persons are not always handed the prospects to attain work experience and make the most out of their potential in the workplace environment. In spite the fact that several disabled persons have the fundamental learning skills and the capability to acquire vocational competencies through training, employment chances afforded to them are largely restricted. This is linked to the need for extensive work experience as a key employment criterion. However, with the lack of job placement and work opportunities, this even worsens the chances of becoming employed (Alias, 2014).
Who or What is affected by this Problem or Issue
People with special needs are largely affected by this problem. Following Harun et al. (2019), employment opportunities or job placement for persons with disabilities are traditionally perceived as an act of charity and consequently stereotyped into instances of welfare. The downside of this is that handing out job opportunities to disabled persons is considered to be a sort of favor. For the most part, persons with disabilities experience marginalization are deemed to have fewer productivity levels. Similarly, Bonaccio et al. (2019) showed that a key reason for the diminished rates of participation and low employment for persons with disabilities is that employers usually possess negative and cynical perspectives regarding the work-related capabilities of these persons. For numerous people with special needs, finding and sustaining work prospects is a problem. For instance, statistics indicate that in the United States, solely 35 percent of persons with special needs obtain job placements contrasted to 76 percent of their colleagues without disabilities (Harun et al., 2019). Therefore, this demonstrates the significant need for successful job placement programs for persons with special needs.
This inequality seems to be mounted over time. Corresponding employment gaps have been noted in other developed nations. For example, in Canada, adults with disabilities only have an employment rate of 49 percent, whereas, for persons devoid of disability, the rate is 79 percent (Harun et al., 2019). In the same manner, within the European region, these statistics are 47.3 percent for disabled persons and 66.9 percent for persons without a disability. Even though it is perceptible that there are varying employment rates across nations, at the end of the day, across the globe, a disabled individual has a lesser likelihood to obtain employment as compared to someone without a disability (Harun et al., 2019).
Research Addressing this Problem or Issue
Numerous research studies have addressed this specific issue of the features of fruitful placement programs for special needs adults. Job placement and attainment for persons with special needs such as learning disabilities is a major problem because employers tend not to offer opportunities to people who have special needs (Alias, 2014). For the most part, they are not given a chance to gain work expertise and make the most of their potential in the corporate world. This is, even though some of them have fundamental learning competencies and can gain vocational proficiencies through education and training (Aliza, 2013). Research indicates that employment prospects for individuals with special need are exceedingly limited and is usually explicated in job applications (Lindstrom, Doren, and Miesch, 2011).
Research conducted by Anal et al. (2018) demonstrates that problems encompassing discrimination and work exploitation, issues dealing with mobility, the movement to and from workplaces, and challenges in obtaining appropriate jobs are some of the fundamental challenges experienced by disabled persons. Despite the numerous prospects rendered by the employer regarding social awareness for disabled persons, more often than not, employers select the ideal candidates for a job position. The majority of the jobs offered by employers in the present day have described the criteria which fundamentally emphasize the educational background and particular experience to offer like the scope of work necessitated by the employer. This circumstance is challenging for disabled persons to obtain the job and get hired and eventually leads to gaps for this group to get jobs to become much larger (Anal et al., 2018).
Aliza (2013) indicates that one of the key characteristics of successful placement programs encompasses positioning persons with special needs in areas where they can acquire pertinent skills and gain work experience outside of their learning setting. Such placements at the work setting with general work competencies required would provide them with the prospects to learn about team affiliation and partnerships, responsibilities and work ethics, and also integrities (Lindstrom, Doren and Miesch, 2011). Furthermore, these programs are usually planned and designed concerning the proficiencies of the persons with special needs to facilitate continuance of the learning process within the workplace setting.
Rozali et al. (2017) demonstrate that one of the major challenges for attaining successful job placements is the lack of infrastructure suitable to the needs and requirements of persons with disabilities. It is challenging to place a person with a disability in a workplace setting that lacks adequate infrastructure to work there. Some of these infrastructures take into account disabled parking, footpath for blind people, lavatories for the disabled in addition to free accessibility to facilitate the movement of disabled persons. Even worse, employers continue to perceive such changes as being a predicament to be endured owing to the higher renovations costs.
Lindstrom, Doren, and Miesch (2011) established that key determining factors in facilitating successful placement in the workplace setting encompass working experiences, support from family and close relatives, transition services, and also work expectations. Persons with disabilities ought to be handed a chance to work to possess fundamental work proficiencies and behaviors like teamwork accountability and work ethics. According to research by Lindstrom et al. (2011), the transition programs facilitate the enhancement of their individualities, for instance, motivation, coping mechanisms, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that such a transition program prompted disabled persons to become largely motivated and consequently develop overall constructive interrelations in the workplace environment. Harun et al. (2019) demonstrate that various community-associated factors can affect young adults with learning disabilities to have positive transition outcomes. Services for young adults with disabilities ought to be instigated immediately after they complete their education. It encompasses the advancement of contact with other associated adult services to guarantee the continuousness of necessitated supports for disabled young adults. These services can be largely emphasized, for instance, job training or vocational training or more extensive preparation.
Research conducted by Harun et al. (2019) points out that the establishment and advancement of services to allow the employment of disabled people is seen to be carried out very seriously by both governmental and non-governmental institutions. However, how such services enhance the employment of disabled persons is hardly studied and examined. In general, disabled individuals are still seen by the community and society at large as lacking proficiencies and capabilities in competitive employment. There is a research gap due to the confinement in the rate of employment and the experiences of disabled persons. This shortcoming may also be a contributing factor to the slow advancement in the development of employment associated services, encompassing transition programs at the school setting.
Research Findings
The research studies conducted have demonstrated that there is a significant need for career development and advancement for people with special needs. Additionally, findings have shown that there is a substantial need to emphasize persons with special needs while at school, particularly in education programs that provide competencies like career transition programs. For instance, following Alias (2014), the absence of working experience in the different sectors amongst students with special needs is a determining factor to the challenges in adapting to a new setting, shortcoming in communication skills with other people, and negative conduct in finalizing the tasks. Research findings also demonstrate that the reasonable level of skill and self-confidence of special needs students in higher education institutions is also a contributing factor to struggles and problems in their career development (Anal et al., 2018).
Alias (2013) indicates that one of the solutions to this problem is the implementation of a transition program. In delineation, a transition program alludes to a synchronized set of activities for persons with disabilities, designed with a results-focused process that encourages movement from the school setting to the workplace setting. Notably, these persons with special needs are granted the chance to be helped in the acquisition of skills and proficiencies necessitated for attaining working experiences. The author further indicates that these processes play a fundamental role in handing these persons guiding principles and instructions to be prosperous in transitioning into the workplace.
Research indicates that successful placement programs are those that improve individual characteristics like motivation, self-efficacy, and coping mechanisms. This ensures that persons with special needs are highly motivated to work and have positive interrelations within the workplace. Furthermore, this placement process should be beneficial to the persons with special needs, as they pinpoint the desired outcomes, design experience, and facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills to meet these goals (Butcher and Wilton, 2008). Alias (2014) further indicates that these programs should enable such persons with special needs to adjust to the work setting properly, interrelate with co-workers, and have positive experiences. Bonaccio et al. (2019) indicate that to guarantee that qualified persons with special needs are included in applicant pools for job placements, the recruitment process mustn't create obstacles. The application process for these individuals usually unconsciously dissuades participation. Therefore, to achieve success, employers need to advertise job placement opportunities extensively and in a manner that indicates that the employer is diversity-friendly.
Lindstrom et al. (2011) assert that transition programs ought to lay emphasis on the working experiences and personal individualities of persons with disabilities. It enables them to comprehend how to hand the incessant transformations and demand of the workplace setting. The positive interrelations they have with colleagues at work can aid in instituting meaningful mentoring association and eventually give rise to career progression. Harun et al. (2019) indicates that community-associated factors can impact transition results for young adults with disabilities. These take into account the delivery of government program and legislature for transition services, obtainability of effective and efficacious transition programs, and delivery of adult services to support the transition process of disabled persons. A wide-ranging transition program for persons with disabilities is pivotal to guarantee a more constructive outcome.
Conclusions
This essay investigated characteristics of successful job placement programs for adults with special needs. Research findings demonstrate the significant need for transition programs. Specifically, there is a substantial need to emphasize persons with special needs while at school, particularly in education programs that provide competencies like career transition programs. These job transition programs amongst persons with disabilities emphasize their progress in the process of transition from the educational level to the career level. These programs are designed to help them accomplish their education, career, and life endeavors independently. In this regard, persons with disabilities will be able to acquire work experience in different fields, attain educational prospects that are ideal to their proficiencies and potential, and also achieve training on programs that focus on skills.



References
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