Career Workforce Skills Training (CWST), Oregon’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Service current biennium 2005-2007. Funded on a biennial basis since 2000.

This project focuses on collaborations with short term skills training programs at 4 of Oregon’s Community Colleges ( Chemeketa Community College, Lane Community College, Clackamas Community College, and Rogue Community College) to facilitate service delivery, establish common knowledge and reinforce internal and external partnerships, and develop and use data systems to track student outcomes and program success.

Specifically, the project has the following goals:

1. Develop an effective OVRS/community college/school district partnership in each region
2. Build necessary services across partners that are effective and efficient in delivering services that result in employment outcomes for enrolled individuals.
3. Build capacity in the local teams to collect and use information for program improvement and accountability at the regional and state levels.

Two important elements of this project that are ongoing are the regional Workgroups, which provide an important forum for collaboration and problem solving, and the Transition Academies, which help students with disabilities become familiar with college.

This partnership takes advantage of existing short term skills training programs at the local community college (Occupational Skills Training, Employment Skills Training, Professional Skills Training and others) and provides supports to make these programs more available to individuals with disabilities who are eligible for VR services.

In most cases, the students’ individual program is primarily site-based (training at a job site) with some classes, as appropriate for their career goal. The college develops a curriculum for the site-based learning which includes occupational and academic skills relevant to a student’s identified career goal. This curriculum is developed in collaboration with the hosting employer (where the student is on site).

Sample curricula

Each student's curriculum is developed based on his/her goal, and their previous skills, experience and training. The curriculum includes the specific skills to be learned and the academic or skill classes recommended by the worksite employer, and Skills Training staff . Sample 1 , Sample 2 , Sample 3

Process forms

Ex1: Course Requirements and Syllabus

Ex2: OST Development Form

Ex3: OST Program Planner