New Year, New Career Skills!

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over and 2019 is right around the corner!  And with 2019 comes a new batch of students leaving their high school transition programs. While completing the transition program is an exciting time, it can also be full of unknowns with a lot of questions going through your head like, are career development skills truly important for my child to have? The answer is YES, OF COURSE! Career development skills are extremely important for everyone, especially our individuals with special needs.

Why are career development skills important?  

Career development skills are important for multiple reasons. Self-advocacy, self-esteem and confidence, skill development, personal awareness, interpersonal skills, as well as gaining knowledge of the working world, are invaluable skills that your child will carry for the rest of their lives.

Where can my student go to gain these skills?

After transition can be daunting to think about, but try these tips:

  1. Talk to your local schools and transition teachers and ask them about the different programs in your area
  2. Attend transition fairs to gain more information regarding programs
  3. Visit different programs in your area to see if your child is a good fit for the program
  4. Stop by GiGi’s Playhouse!

At GiGi’s Playhouse we offer 3 Career Development Programs:  GiGi Prep, GiGi University, and Hugs and Mugs.  The GiGi’s Career Development Programs are progressive learning programs designed to motivate adults with Down syndrome to achieve their highest potential in the world through innovative, educational, goal-development and small group skills instruction, health and wellness, career skills, empowerment, community engagement and exceptional work opportunities.

For more information check out our website at https://gigisplayhouse.org/hoffmanestates/gigi-u

-Lyndsey Curry

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