Division of Vocational Rehab

Description & Purpose

The Vocational and Work Adjustment Training Services Program (VWATS) is designed to give individuals the opportunity to gain access to 1) opportunities in a variety of environments, 2) training with experts in the field of employment and 3) evaluations to meet the needs of individuals that are deemed Significantly Disabled and Most Significantly Disabled by Oahu’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors. No-contact virtual training is also offered.

The scope of this service is broad because it is organized to set a model to:

  • Explore local and national job industry

  • Utilize national evaluations to determine an employment profile to aid in gaining and maintaining employment

  • Determine a good person environment fit for potential employment

  • Develop resumes, cover letters and national assessments

Types of Training

Goal-directed Community Integration Training (G-DCIT): This training is designed to develop soft skills in the community through utilizing various volunteer, mentorship and internships with various community partners. This training is a good first step towards developing employment and professional behavioral patterns in integrative settings.

Project-Based Employment Skills Training (P-BEST): This training was developed out of formal classroom trainings to learn hard and soft employment skills and expectations in society. NEi has added employment projects to develop kinesthetic as well as other learning preferences.

Job-Specific Technical Skills Training (J-STST): This training is modeled to learn specific job duties in simulated and real life situations to learn specific tasks in a job description or employer request gain or maintain an employment position. This is for the person that is job ready and needs specific training in employment.

Paid Work Experience (PWE): Paid Work Experience is a career preparation activity in which trainees are at a worksite doing real work for pay. These work-based learning experiences are designed to help individuals prepare for the high demands of the workplace, expose trainees to the reality of the work environment and help develop pre-employment and work maturity skills in addition to acquiring occupational knowledge and skills.

Approved Work-Based Training Program

Network Enterprises, Inc.’s responsibility will be to document that the work sites meet the requirements of the Training Program. The Training Program does not include job shadowing or field trips and provides experiences in which the trainee will perform actual job tasks and duties.

The Training Program will consist of the following components:

  • The Training Program provides trainees with work experience in an existing occupation or career that is related to the trainee’s vocational interests or skills. The experience will be paid at the current State of Hawaii minimum wage per hour, up to 19 ½ hours per week. (No benefits).

  • Trainees will have a Training Agreement that outlines the expectations for Network Enterprises, Inc.’s Employment Specialist, work site supervisor and trainee. The agreement will be signed by all parties.

  • A Training Plan will be developed that identifies the learning expectations, evaluation practices, and to whom the evaluation will be communicated.

  • The work site has been surveyed and has been deemed a safe work environment for the trainees.

Assurance of a Safe Work Environment

In order for a work site to participate in Network’s Training Program and have Network assume responsibility for workers’ compensation, Network’s Employment Division Coordinator and appropriate staff must survey and deem it a safe working environment for participants.

The process for conducting a safety survey is as follows:

  • Network Enterprises and Business will make contact and arrange for a walk-through at a time that is mutually convenient for both parties.

  • Network’s Employment Division Coordinator and appropriate staff will conduct a walk-through and survey the worksite in the presence of the work site supervisor and/or representative.

  • Network’s Employment Division Coordinator will inform the site supervisor and/or representative if the work site is deemed to be a safe work environment for participants. The only determinations permitted will be whether the work site is or is not approved as a safe working environment.

Trainee’s Progress

Each trainee will have an executed Agreement of Expectation for Work-Based Learning Experience form on file with Network Enterprises, Inc. Network Enterprises, Inc. will have all participants sign this document before the participant shall begin work at the work site.