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Draft Transcript
May 26, 2016 - eCaptions
SDSU INTERWORK WEBINAR
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(Audio is terrible)
SPEAKER: Okay. Well, welcome everyone to our... in person and our students who are joining us virtually. I'm really happy to have you all this is part of what we were looking for in proposing the grant that provides scholarships is to give us more focus on vocational process and how that work was business. How we are building stronger relationships with employers, and what the big picture is with the legislation on the WIOA and how that should extend to the relationships with employers.
So Dr. Chaz Compton who am sure some of you know who was a former district administrator here in California for the department of rehabilitation and is working is... institute with us in the program. And so he's going to give us insight into the relationship with employers and the look at the customer and explain that for us. If you have other comments you can address that if you want.
DR. COMPTON: No, that's for the people listening I will try and [inaudible] hi everyone. Can we take a second and get your name.
OTHER SPEAKERS: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Thank you. So today we are going to talk a little bit about the rehabilitation. The field of vocational rehabilitation as it relates to the new legislation and what that legislation means the background behind how it evolved and within the every day work. So (audio is terrible) of course the direct mandate, with the rehabilitation program. R.
Egardless of whether you're going to work in the college or CRP or anywhere else the same information will fall directly on your shoulders [inaudible]. Although it does have a public program it just it's cross [inaudible]. So first off I would like to ask [inaudible] Powerpoint and click forgive me.
Maybe I need to adjust
SPEAKER: Yes.
SPEAKER: I think she said she would try this.
OTHER SPEAKER: Okay.
DR. COMPTON: If it remains a problem please type and let us know and I will do my best to speak up. Okay? Okay. Sorry. So back to the question. This is what's the purpose of the vocational rehabilitation program.
OTHER SPEAKER: To help people with disabilities opportunities to get back to to become more independent through supports and partnerships with [inaudible] employers and rehabilitation programs and members. Basically anyone involved with that consumer.
DR. COMPTON: My goodness. You're right.
[Laughter]
DR. COMPTON: So to enhance to work with persons with disabilities and enhance their opportunities for email employment and independence by working with all of the relevant stakeholders. Anything to add to that.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Does anybody have anything you want to add to that definition? Perfect. So if I am an individual with a disability and I come to VR for help [inaudible] the purpose is to enhance my employment opportunities and my opportunities to achieve independence. Correct? Anything else? Okay. Fair enough. I can live with that.
Okay. So there is always the... employment and independence. That's kind of a given, right? California, the California program also includes equality. In the definition. Every definition of VR includes something about helping people be employed, that's vocational, and independence of course [inaudible]. At what level in other words, you want you're working with an individual to achieve employment and independence but at what level are you hoping to achieve? And the VR help an individual achieve employment at entry level. Any level they want? What?
OTHER SPEAKER: Could you repeat the question, please.
DR. COMPTON: Pardon me?
OTHER SPEAKER: Could you please repeat the question.
DR. COMPTON: Okay. If the VR program is to help an individual achieve employment, at what level is the program established to help them to achieve employment. The entry level.
For instance, I'm a person with a disability and I want help with that. Will they help me at the entry level? With they help me at the advanced level with employment?
OTHER SPEAKER: At entry level [inaudible] starting point [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Okay. Do you agree with that.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: So in other words, if I came you to and I want to be a teacher, right? Would you help me be a teacher at the like bachelor level, secondary school or would you help me get my masters so I could work. Would you help me get my Ph.D.? Where does your responsibility with the VR program begin and end in your opinion? Or have you ever even thought of the question. Did you ever consider that?
OTHER SPEAKER: Wait [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Yeah.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible] to help you my associates get a better job.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible] so if you are a middle manager and you [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Okay. How do you feel about that?
OTHER SPEAKER: (Inaudible).
DR. COMPTON: Okay. All right. What about independencewise? Is there a level of independence that you are willing as opposed to complete and utter independence?
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Your services must be consistent with the ability [inaudible] (audio gone) enhancement of employment. Correct. Absolutely. So it's not that it used to be [inaudible] that the public VR program was geared towards helping people with disabilities achieve employment solely at the entry level, that is we will pay for you to obtain whatever you need to do, whether education or vocational training or whatever it is to get a job at the entry level of a particular career or field, but after that you are on your own. Right?
And that changed in the late 1900 late 1900
[Laughter]
DR. COMPTON: Late well I guess late 1990's and right around 2000, and it happened around 92 but became directed around then [inaudible] the field will be geared towards an individual that chooses their maximum potential consistent with their abilities and their capabilities and interest and informed choice and resources and priorities [inaudible] that was reinforced in the [inaudible] act in 1998 and then reinforced in the Workplace Innovation and Opportunity Act.
In this relationship in VR where a counselor is working for individuals to achieve employment and independence what are they actually doing? What kind of activities do they engage in?
OTHER SPEAKER: There's a lot of guidance coming on.
DR. COMPTON: Sure.
OTHER SPEAKER: Guidance.
DR. COMPTON: Counseling and guidance. What else?
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Yeah you bet.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Resources.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Referrals? Services. Human services, right? Can you think of what else the counselors do? Identifying a plan that identifies the services. That's consistent across the nation. All of those things are consistent. Collaborating with the consumer. My goodness. Somebody has been a counselor. Who determine aptitudes interests and resources so the client can make informed choices. All of that [inaudible] and we are talking about called supply primarily the counselor is working primarily with the client, the client being the supply, right?
(New head set to see if improved audio still awful)
DR. COMPTON: So that's been the way it always has been up to this date, and counselors, counselors in school counselors in the program like this one are primarily taught, and trained to engage in a counseling relationship are the individual with the disability which of course makes good sense.
Then we have the demand side of VR. Something relatively new. Now don't tell this to somebody who's been in counseling for years but the terminology is not identical. When you say demand what do you mean
OTHER SPEAKER: Maybe the consumer has a choice . Consumer has a choice.
SPEAKER: Consumer demands. [Inaudible].
OTHER SPEAKER: Employer demands.
DR. COMPTON: What do you mean by employer demands.
OTHER SPEAKER: What are they looking for. Labor market in order to fill the roles that their work.
DR. COMPTON: When we say the demand side. And VR we are talking the demand that employers have for workers. So from a strictly business perspective the client is the supply side, and the employer is the demand side, when you hear demand side VR you are talking what are employers needing, or wanting in terms of employees?
The view here, the concept in the dual customer approach is that VR existing partially to meet the needs of employers, right? It is not just the organization doesn't exist or the field doesn't exist solely to serve the needs of clients, but now Surrey to serve the needs of employers as well. Because you can't meet the needs of clients unless you're meeting the needs of employers.
They are both our customers. And this dual customer approach is not a bad it's not something we are headed towards. It's here, right. It's right now, and it's been going on gosh I think in California's dual customer approach has been emphasized for 15years, and it's been mandated 10years probably, and now and [inaudible] there are parts of the nation that have been very good about it, and others that have been terrible. They do nothing.
But the law says [inaudible] so the to meet the needs of the employers and the clients that's mutually beneficial way. Could you think of being exposed to an example [inaudible]
OTHER SPEAKER: I'm sure this has come up with a class before but [inaudible] small group, the employer has shipments coming in [inaudible] so they may be and then they might be [inaudible] it's just very so that's the employer's need, and the client has to that they are able to fill the [inaudible] feel like that is a mutually beneficial relationship, specific needs of the employer, [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Okay. So that the an example of some people with the most significant disabilities that may not be able to sustain fulltime work or whatever are having an opportunity to work periodically in part time. Yeah.
OTHER SPEAKER: Maybe there's someone that just needs like a little extra guidance [inaudible] a lot of rehabilitation agencies [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Okay. So supported employment is kind of a way it's sort of built around that model. To make sure that the clients needs get met, and also there is some assistance for an employer to make sure it's successful.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible] I've been there [inaudible] they really go out of their way, [inaudible] orientation, talk with the employer, [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Okay. So just think of that as we move along. Some of the things you have been exposed to with show that the VR program is an integrally involved with employers part of it as they are with the client because both of them unless both of their needs are met then the outcome is not the [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: So okay. Why what happens? How did we get to this point where the nature of the vocational rehabilitation program has changed so dramatically that we are telling VR counselors don't just get to serve clients. You have to serve persons with disabilities. You have to serve employers and the business community. Why? Why?
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible] you have to keep them happy, and you know we're kind of like the brokers I would say between [inaudible] given that opportunity.
DR. COMPTON: That's a very interesting comment, and I'm going to kind of reiterate it piece by piece for the people who are not here because it's very counselor comment, which is great. Which was we have to make our employers happy too, and that by being able to help provide training, and other things to help prepare our clients better then we can meet whatever their needs are. Is that what I heard you say.
OTHER SPEAKER: Yeah, in a way, yes.
DR. COMPTON: Okay. Is that okay, and I'm not drawing conclusions.
OTHER SPEAKER: No I think the other part is that [inaudible] opportunity to form partnerships.
DR. COMPTON: Also another very nice counselory thing to say. Another very good counselory thing to say. As we form relationship that gives us the opportunity in the future
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Because we understand disability more than other people do, and that's why we should be involved. Another very nice counselory thing to, right.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: And so if we're sending people who aren't qualified for the position and there's big turn over then what is the conclusion.
OTHER SPEAKER: That the employer is not [inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: The employer is not getting their needs met. Now we're talking business. How do you so that's a shift. A little more of a shift. It's slightly colder. It's not nearly as compassionate and empathetic and forward looking into terms of future placement, and INTERCESSORY in terms of being the liaison it's all about the role you play. The knowledge you have, as a counselor in terms of trying to somehow prepare the employer for this disability that they have to deal with, and your perspective is they're not ready. The employers are irritated, and that's not working out very well. Okay.
Do you see the difference? You need to see the difference in perspective right. One, it is something attributed to accountability. [Inaudible] public dollars showing that the services work. By including employer satisfaction in the [inaudible] okay and we are going to get there. It's very important point.
So think for a second about the American economy in the last 30years. I don't mean like the recession. I mean like the work force. What's happened in terms of our economy and who we hire
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible] technology jobs in the last 30years for sure.
DR. COMPTON: Are we still in an industrial age?
OTHER SPEAKER: No.
DR. COMPTON: No, not no. I mean we still have industry. Don't get me wrong but what age are we in?
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: [Inaudible] everything meaning.
OTHER SPEAKER: [Inaudible].
DR. COMPTON: Second word was?
OTHER SPEAKER: Information.
DR. COMPTON: Information and technology, that's why they call it the information age which is all about technology. Digital ability to transmit information a bajillion miles an hour, and also you know you will hear the term service. Information and service as well. But it's an information age. And the work that is being done across the board [inaudible] at least in the United States and anywhere that is developed is all industry at all levels requires at least some ability to transmit information, and most require tremendous amounts. To process and transmit and utilize, so if that's true, that should tell you a little bit about you know you will hear people say it goes back as far as 16 but really for our purposes the personal computer hit around the early 90's. Late 80's, early 90's that's when it started to become prevalent, and nowadays it's we don't. Nobody can work without one. So in addition to that significant shift in the way people live and interact what went on what was the perspective here in public the public perception on government spending and government waste? Well of course say in the last 20
OTHER SPEAKER: No.
DR. COMPTON: Do we feel we spend money efficiently.
OTHER SPEAKER: Yes.
DR. COMPTON: You do? Does anybody here feel the government spends money efficiently? When you see stories about a $500 hammer for instance, typically most people in [inaudible] would not consider the federal government to be good stewards of the tax dollars. They want accountability and they want to reduce waste and they want to reduce redundancy, and that with the significant shift in our work force and our economy caused many many things to happen all at once.
Well, all at once over the course of a very short time span from the perspective of history.
And what was found was that our work force did not keep up in terms of training and skills with the significant shift that was happening. We didn't know when you think about how quickly information and technology shifts and changes and advances and the kind of skills necessary to stay up with those changes, and the work force and their current state of preparedness. There's it's not great. Right? I mean maybe our kids [inaudible] if you have kids that are of working age you will know what I mean. They can change like this, right? Many of us on the other hand, would have a very difficult time responding to the speed of change. At the same time there is this huge kind of skills gap going on between what we need and what we have and there's focus on reducing government waste and redundancy which produced a consolidation of government programs. Consequently, you had in 1998 a development of the workforce development act and the onestop career center system where the hope was that you went from having workforce partners in one area and at onestop environment would reduce waste. Redundancy and promote partnership and collaboration and we could start working together more effectively and efficiently.
The program was considered was called a mandatory partner in the workforce investment partner. It wasn't an option. The term is actually [inaudible]. And then in the workforce innovation and opportunity act where the VR, where the Rehabilitation Investment Act resides now it also resides in the we have reauthorized the Workplace Innovation and Opportunity Act and VR is now a core part of this. I will tell what you that means in a moment.