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Deborah
Brenner
TET Program Coordinator
450 North State Street
Concord NH 03301
Ph: (603) 225-3318
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Transitional Employment and Training Program (TET) |
Mission
Statement
The Transitional Employment
and Training Program (TET) prepares students for effective,
productive, adult living. Through instruction and practice,
students become competent in the independent and interdependent
life skills necessary for successful participation in
their communities.
Introduction
The TET program is designed
to evaluate and elevate the social and vocational skills
of in-school students aged 14-20. The primary focus
of the program is to work with motivated special needs
students nearing the end of their school involvement
and to assist them as they move from school to the community
and workforce. This process includes pre-employment
training, placement in a work environment, on going
support while working, and weekly review in the classroom.
The program also serves identified special education
students through the development, implementation and
coordination of an Individual Transition Plan as mandated
by law.
Getting Started
The TET staff reviews
each student’s school and work history, as well
as their social skills to determine which of two classroom
components will best serve the student. Staff also use
feedback from the student’s teachers and family
to begin to tailor a program that will help the student
become more proficient in five critical skills areas.
These areas are:
- active listening
- contributing effectively
- accepting responsibility
for behavior
- controlling behavior,
and
- accepting critical
feedback
Changing
Choices Class
Younger
students, 14-16, who struggle with consistently applying
the five critical skills, attend the Changing Choices
Class 4 days per week. In class they participate in
discussions and activities related to relationships,
attitudes, values, and exchange. Social and life skills
are taught and practiced each week through menu planning,
budgeting, shopping for, preparing, and eating a meal
together. Portions of each class are also used for academic
review to support each student’s academic progress.
Students who demonstrate consistent mastery of the critical
skills are promoted to the work experience portion of
the program.
Transitional Employment
Training Class
Student who can apply
most of the critical skills most of the time enter the
work experience component, beginning with two weeks
of classroom instruction. Topics covered include job
applications, job seeking, labor laws, wages and deductions,
workplace expectations, and interviews. Staff assist
students in obtaining or replacing missing documents
required by employers. Students who successfully complete
the classroom component begin part-time jobs, working
at least 12 hours per week.
Students without a work
history begin in a supported work experience, 3 hours
per day, 4 days per week, arranged and paid for by the
TET program. This allows the student to earn a training
wage while practicing the work attitudes and behaviors
necessary for successful employment.
Students who have prior
work history or who have successfully completed TET
supported work experiences obtain regular jobs in the
competitive labor market.
Moving
On
Students nearing the
end of their secondary education are referred to NH
Vocational Rehabilitation as part of their Individual
Transition Plan. Graduating students complete an assisted
career search, and TET staff link them with appropriate
community resources for post-secondary education, job
training, or job placement. All TET students leave the
program with a notebook of their completed work, including
reference materials used in locating, obtaining, and
sustaining meaningful employment.
General Information
The program is staffed
by two vocational counselors and operates primarily
in the greater Concord area. To date, approximately
80 local businesses and agencies have participated in
our program over the last five years. The program is
approved by the New Hampshire Labor Department as a
Work Experience and Career Exploration Program.
Potential referrals should
be directed to our offices at 450 North State Street,
Concord, 225-3318. Students should be referred well
in advance of the beginning of each quarter to allow
for interviews, teamings, and district approvals.
For more
information or to schedule
a visit, please contact:
Deborah
Brenner
TET Program Coordinator
603-225-3318
450 North State Street
Concord NH 03301
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