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The Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
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Career Pathways Newsletter
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Greetings from
the Director
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Andrea Guest, DVR Director
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Partnerships, Partnerships, and Partnerships – that’s our mantra! Whether it’s working with businesses to develop sites for work based learning for our students, working with other state agencies to provide long term employment supports, or working with WIOA partners to implement a unified state plan, DVR is not doing it alone.
We have gained many benefits from these partnerships including a greater awareness of community needs. As a result, we
have strengthened our programs and services and can provide better customer service to our students, job seekers, and clients.
This newsletter highlights some of the successful collaborations with our partners. Also be on the lookout for our new summer Pre-Employment Transition Programs (PETS) which offer students a variety of opportunities for work based learning and career development. A few
of these programs will also be offered throughout the school year.
Read More
-Andrea
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Eagle Group Soars High
as a VR Business Partner
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Situated on a country road in Clayton, Delaware is the international headquarters of the country’s largest broadline manufacturer of commercial foodservice equipment. With close to 400 employees, Eagle Group also manufactures a wide range of products for other industry segments including grocery stores, retail merchandising and display, and material handling, healthcare, and cleanroom equipment.
Read More
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Collaboration Between Divisions Strengthens Service Delivery for People with Disabilities
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The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and the Division of Developmental Disability Services (DDDS) have been working collaboratively for many years to assist individuals with disabilities to go to work. Even before Delaware became an Employment First State, DDDS committed to the philosophy that all individuals can work with the appropriate supports.
Read More
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Design Challenge
Program Update
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In our DVR
Career Pathways Winter issue,
we reported a story on a team of Concord
High School engineering students who participated in a national engineering competition through SourceAmerica Design Challenge (SADC). The students partnered with Christiana Care and designed a product that has helped a Project Search Intern read and sort medicine bottles, increasing efficiency and productivity. The students have been selected as one of five national finalists
for SADC’s annual high school Design Challenge competition. The final competition and selection was held on April 13 in Washington, D.C. For more information about Source America Design Challenge, visit
http://www.sourceamerica.org/design-challenge
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Pictured above are interns from the
2015 PETS culinary arts and urban
kitchen garden summer program
at The Hospitality School.
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Pre-employment Transition Services Summer Programs
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DVR recently published a Request for Proposal (RFP) for programs related to Pre-Employment Transition Services (PETS) as defined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The objective is to develop programs for high school students, ages 14-21, to offer career exploration, work-based learning experiences, community-based workplace readiness training and college preparation. Due to the success of the programs offered last summer, DVR expanded the RFP to include both summer and school-year programming. DVR anticipates completing the review and award process by the end of March at which time recruitment for the programs will begin.
Please be on the lookout for more information in the near future!
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What are the
keys to success
in your job?
“Connection and communication are the most important factors. Make a connection with the student and maintain communication.
I have found that
you can earn the
trust from students
if you listen to them. Kids really want to
be respected and
to feel valued."
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The VR Counselor's Corner
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Stephanie Spadaccini has been a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with DVR since 1992. In her current role as a
Transition Counselor, she helps students with disabilities
prepare for post-secondary education and careers.
Please tell us about your role as a Transitions Counselor. “I have been working with students for more than 18 years. One of the best parts of working with students is watching the kids succeed and knowing that I’ve made a difference. I help them by setting plans and making goals but it is the students who do all the hard work.”
What have been some of the greater changes you’ve seen? “Challenges are different today than they were when I started in this position in the 1990s. Today’s world is based in technology and the family dynamics are also different. The greatest lesson that I’ve learned is that there is always change. I believe that DVR does a great job in meeting the needs of the people we serve.”
How does DVR help students meet challenges? “We offer comprehensive services that we individualize to the student coming to DVR for services. In addition, we make program changes to increase effectiveness and opportunities. For example, this year we started working with the students earlier and also added in summer programs. These options will provide opportunities for the students to make better decisions for their long term career options. Last, depending on the student’s choice regarding post-graduation, they may continue with the same DVR Counselor throughout college or for services related to employment.”
Read More
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Statewide Rehabilitation Council Members and attendees at the April 11th annual retreat.
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Statewide Rehabilitation Council of Delaware
Annual Retreat
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The Statewide Rehabilitation Council (SRC) held its annual retreat on April 11th. Discussion topics included DVR's Consumer Satisfaction Survey, updates on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) including Career Pathways, Pre-Employment Transition Services,
and DE Joblink.
The SRC's purpose is to provide individuals with disabilities and representatives from the community
a partnership role in the state's
vocational rehabilitation program.
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Our Mission: We provide individualized services to employers and people
with disabilities, developing career pathways that link qualified employees to jobs, resulting in greater independence and a more inclusive workplace.
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Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Department of Labor
4425 N. Market Street, P.O. Box 9969
Wilmington, DE 19809-0969
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