Creating Access to Successful Employment (Project CASE) is Kentucky’s response to meeting the training and employment needs of individuals with disabilities within a career pathway framework. Funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, Project CASE intends to increase participation in career pathways for individuals with disabilities to acquire marketable skills and recognized postsecondary credentials and secure competitive integrated employment in high demand occupations.
Project CASE implements innovative training, engagement, and outreach strategies to serve individuals with disabilities in 7 counties of Metro Louisville (KentuckianaWorks) and 23 rural counties of Eastern Kentucky (Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program-EKCEP) targeting three industry sectors: information technology, manufacturing and industrial technology, and healthcare/nursing and allied health. AIR conducts both implementation and outcome evaluations of the project to identify promising practices, document unique features of the Project CASE model, and evaluate the impact of the project on system alignment, program improvement, and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Project CASE Toolkit
In collaboration with Project CASE, AIR translated evaluation findings to develop a series of five strategy guides to describe promising practices that Project CASE implemented. The guides provide actional steps and useful tips to support vocational rehabilitation professionals in replicating and implementing these strategies to increase hiring, career development, and career advancement for individuals with disabilities.
As companion pieces to the strategy guides, these animated slideshow videos spotlight Project CASE staff. VR counselors, career pathway coordinators (CPCs), VR administrators, and partners share their experiences in implementing the promising practices described in the strategy guides.
These flyers provide summaries for each of the strategy guides; below each is a list of video clips on each of the topics:
Using a Career Pathways Approach to Provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (PDF flyer)
- Project CASE STEM Events: Collaboration to Ensure Success
- Project CASE Stem Events: Best Tips for Organizing
- Best Practices in Pre-ETS
- A VR Counselor's Experience Working with CPC and Transition Aged Students
Employer Engagement (PDF flyer)
- Strategies for Employer Outreach
- Partnership to Increase Employer Engagement: Lessons Learned from Project CASE
- Understanding Employer Needs to Better Serve VR Clients
- Project CASE Industry Tours
Reverse Job Fairs: Strategy to a New Career Path (PDF flyer)
- Project CASE Reverse Job Fair: What it is, What the Benefits Are
- How to Plan and Conduct a Reverse Job Fair
- Reverse Job Fair: A Success Story
Career Pathway Coordinators: Critical Links in the Career Pathway System (PDF flyer)
- Career Pathway Coordinators: Bridging Vocational Rehabilitation to Workforce Partners
- Career Pathway Coordinators: Critical Links in the Career Pathway for Individuals with Disabilities
- What Makes a Successful Career Pathway Coordinator?
Understanding and Implementing the Career Pathways Approach with Individuals with Disabilities in VR Settings (PDF flyer)
