Vocational Services
EFR offers a number of vocational services to assist you in, including:
- Determining career choices
- Developing “soft skills”
- Obtaining and maintaining successful, fulfilling employment
- Teaching job development skills
- Providing support on the job site
We partner with potential employers to help pave the way for a positive working experience.
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
Pathway to Employment (PTE)
PTE is a time-limited (1 year/278 hours) person-centered employment planning, training, and support service. PTE is available to individuals expressing an interest in competitive employment or self-employment including (but not limited to) individuals who receive Day Habilitation, Pre-Vocational, and Supported Employment services, as well as students leaving high school.
PTE offers an individualized planning process that helps:
- Identify a career or vocational direction
- Provide instruction/training in job readiness skills
- Develop a plan for achieving competitive, integrated employment at or above the New York State minimum wage
- Provide assistance which allows you to obtain, maintain, or advance in competitive employment or self-employment
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
Supported Employment (SEMP)
In SEMP services, EFR helps you to find meaningful, fulfilling work.
It all starts with you. We work with you to figure out what type of work you want to do and what your career goals are. Then we help prepare you for that type of work, find a job, and provide support on the job if you need it.
SEMP may be delivered in two phases: Intensive SEMP and Extended SEMP.
- Intensive SEMP services help you find your job and provided support on the job.
- Extended SEMP services include ongoing job coaching and career development services.
Both types provide assistance to find, keep, or advance in self-employment or in competitive integrated employment in the general workforce.
Your pay must be at or above the state minimum wage in a job that meets your personal and career goals.
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
Employment Training Program (ETP)
The Employment Training Program is technically an OPWDD training program. The goal of this service is to assist people with developmental disabilities who desire to work, to gain paid employment in the community, and earn at least minimum wage
While you are participating in training, OPWDD pays your wage instead of the employer, which means if you are accepted into this program, you have to meet the requirements to become a New York state employee.
ETP provides opportunities for individuals to gain real work experience through paid internships or jobs, and EFR supports them in this process which includes:
- Job discovery – helps you identify what type of job you want to do
- Job development – helps you find a job
- Job coaching services – supports you on the job to learn duties
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
Pre-Vocational Services (Prevoc)
Community-based Pre-Vocational Services help you build job skills through volunteer and community experiences so you are better prepared for future competitive employment.
Pre-Vocational Services are provided to people who are not expected to join the general workforce within one year and instead focus on building pre-employment skills such as:
- Developing workplace habits
- Attending to tasks
- Problem-solving
- Work safety
- Demands of the workplace
- Task completion
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
ACCES-VR Services
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation is an employment service with a goal of helping you:
- Find an integrated job in your community that pays at or above minimum wage
- Become more independent through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development
ACCES-VR is funded through the New York State Department of Education for short-term services.
EFR will serve people who have VR or OPWDD for their extended funding source Supported Employment (SEMP) services. Services include job development and job coaching through Supported Employment. EFR also offers Direct Job Placement supports to help people find jobs.
EFR offers many pre-employment services, including providing work-readiness, self-advocacy, and career exploration classes. We provide paid work experiences as well.
Services are available for adults and youth, including students.
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.
Pre-Employment Transition Services
Pre-Employment is a service provided to students with disabilities looking to explore future career options. The goal is to provide individuals the resources, training, and experience to advocate for themselves in the job market. To participate, you must be between 14-21 years of age, currently enrolled in school (public, private, home, college, post-secondary, or alternative schooling), and have a documented disability. In this program, you will learn:
- Self-advocacy – advocate for yourself to meet career goals, learn communication skills, and understand the accommodations you will need for your job
- Job exploration counseling – learn about available jobs, determine what interests you, and prepare for formal interviews
- Work place readiness – understand your skills, write a resume, search for jobs on multiple platforms, obtain budgeting skills, and gain strategies to work with coworkers
- Work-based learning experiences – obtain hands-on experience in the workplace and apply your education to real-world career opportunities
- Post-secondary counseling – explore training related to your job interests and learn about next steps to further your education
Contact Lawton Williamson at lwilliamson@contactefr.org.