A formalized step-by-step plan developed by a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a client seeking new employment is known as a vocational training scheme. If a large employer leaves a community, taking jobs to another country, this vocational training scheme and job search services may be mandated by law in the United States, or made available to welfare recipients and other low-income individuals. States also provide vocational rehabilitation to citizens injured on the job under state-specific workers compensation laws if they are unable to return to their previous occupations. States also provide vocational training to disabled people in their communities. Before implementing any of these public or private vocational training, retraining, or rehabilitation programs, an individualized vocational training scheme is required.
New job seekers aren’t just thrown into positions that they’re interested in. In order to develop a reasonable job placement plan with a good chance of placement and success, a lot of data is collected. Depending on the position or positions sought, various types of assessments and tests may be administered to the job seeker to aid in the process. Aptitude tests, personality assessments, written and numeric literacy assessments, eye-hand coordination assessments, and even some hands-on problem-solving assessments may be included in these assessments. The results of any or all of these tests are included in the vocational training scheme and help to guide it.
A detailed job history is included as part of the vocational training scheme development, in addition to a complete educational performance history. A job history is not only useful for demonstrating the types of positions previously preferred or available to the job seeker, but it is also required for generating a transferable skills analysis. This type of report lists skills that can be transferred from one job to another. These skills may be concrete, such as the ability to operate an electronic cash register, or intangible, such as the ability to multitask. Similar transferable skills may be required by jobs that are vastly different, allowing people to change careers without having to learn as many new skills as one might expect.
A job “tryout” is sometimes allowed as part of a vocational training program. This period of time — which can range from a few hours to a few weeks — allows an individual to determine whether or not the specific career he is considering meets his expectations. A labor market survey or some information about job availability in the individual’s chosen field must also be included in a vocational training plan. This data is required to justify the amount of time, money, and resources spent on it.