Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors interview and advise socially, physically, or mentally handicapped people in order to help them determine and locate the kind of work that is suited to their physical and mental capacities, interests, skills, and talents.

NATURE OF THE OCCUPATION

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors may:

Interview clients to obtain information about their abilities, interests, and the extent of their disabilities

Review clients' work histories

Arrange for vocational and medical evaluations

Review test results and confer with clients on a plan of action

Arrange for training programs

Meet with medical and other personnel to discuss progress and problems of clients

Determine eligibility of clients

Assist clients in job searches, placement, and adjustment

Maintain case records including follow-up interviews of employed clients

Collect educational and occupational information

Maintain relationships with the families and employers of clients and with other professionals

Teach and consult

Conduct job analysis and recommend job changes, work aids, and devices

The equipment and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors may specialize in these areas:

045.107-042 VOCATIONAL-REHABILITATION COUNSELORS interview and advise socially, physically, or mentally handicapped people in order to help them determine and locate the kind of work that is suited to their physical and mental capacities, interests, skills, and talents.

045.107-010 VETERANS ADMINISTRATION COUNSELORS provide eligible veterans and children of veterans killed during military service with appropriate educational, vocational, employment, special rehabilitation, and personal adjustment counseling. They also determine whether to grant or continue to provide monetary benefits to eligible veterans.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors work under some supervision and personally with clients. However, they must work cooperatively with employers and with many professionals such as physicians, therapists, social workers, teachers, and others because the rehabilitation of a client often requires a team effort.

Counselors work in the field, in offices, and in colleges and universities. Offices and classrooms are usually comfortable, well lighted, well heated, and often air-conditioned.

The workweek for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors is about 40 hours, with some overtime required in order to attend community and civic meetings in the evening. Those working in colleges and universities may have more varied work schedules.

Counselors may travel within their local area to attend meetings, to work with training agencies and meet prospective employers, and to confer with clients' families. They may be required to have a car. Counselors may belong to one or more community or civic groups and other professional associations. These associations may include The National Rehabilitation Counseling Association and The American Rehabilitation Counseling Association. Members of associations usually pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities concerned with the communication of information

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities intended to help people

You Should Be Able To:

• Use reason and logic

• Understand meanings of words and communicate effectively

• Direct, control, or plan an activity or the activities of others

• Make decisions based on judgment and verifiable criteria

• Work under stress when speed and attention are essential

• Work patiently when repetitious planning is required

• Perform arithmetical operations quickly and accurately

• See details/recognize errors in numbers, spelling, and punctuation

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If the assessment scores of a given student are 50, 55, 75, 90, and 95, what is his or her average score for this battery of tests?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

When consulting clients regarding career development, personality and aptitude testing is involved. The most commonly used type of normative score is standard score, which expresses the distance of the client's score from the mean of the distribution in standard deviation units.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report about a student's progress in a given subject.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best schedules for different students with different needs.

A bachelor's degree in a behavioral science, such as psychology or sociology, or in special education is customary and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling is increasingly stressed and required.

Applicants for vocational rehabilitation counseling positions with government agencies must usually pass a written competitive test. They may also be interviewed and evaluated by a special board. Private organizations may require certification. To be certified, Rehabilitation Counselors must pass exams administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. Furthermore, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors in Michigan must be licensed by the Board of Counseling of the Michigan Department of Community Health. Click  here  for further information on certification and licensing for Counselors.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) or a Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond high school) is the most frequent employer requirement for this occupation. Infrequently someone with a bachelor's degree may be hired as a technician or assistant to a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Private organizations may require certification.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1300 ENGLISH , 2200 MATH , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

037 COUNSELING

Counseling Programs provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment assisting people in making personal, marital, employment, or vocational adjustments. Different programs lead to differing counselor occupations.

Marriage Counseling requires at least a graduate degree in psychology (see program #145), sociology (see program #162), medicine with a psychiatry specialization (see program #102), social service (see program #161), or a related field.

Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling requires at least a bachelor's degree in a behavioral science such as psychology (see program #145), sociology (see program #162), or a related field. Increasingly, a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling is required (see program #177).

Employment Counseling requires at least a bachelor's degree in guidance and counseling (see program #156), psychology (see program #145), sociology (see program #162), social work (see program #161), personnel administration (see program #128), public administration (see program #146), vocational counseling (see program #177), or a related field.

Courses vary from school to school and between areas of specialization.

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Visits to rehabilitation centers and workshops may prove helpful. Work as a counselor at a handicapped children's camp or volunteer work with local hospitals, church groups and state or non-profit agencies, will provide experience in this occupation. Postsecondary programs in counseling may have a co-op or internship segment through which experience may be gained.

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor employer

internships

volunteer work with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor employer

community service work with an agency

Most Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors find jobs by applying Directly to state, local, and federal civil service offices and other employers. Assistance in locating a job may be obtained from college placement offices. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank

America's Job Bank

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Salaries of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors vary among the private and public agencies and are based upon the individual counselor's level of education and experience. Salaries are higher for those Counselors who have a masters degree.

Nationally, vocational and educational counselors, which included Rehabilitation Counselors, had median annual earnings of $36,140 (1998). Directors of rehabilitation services in hospitals had an average base salary of $71,700 per year (early 1998).

Vocational rehabilitation specialists employed by the Veterans' Administration (VA) earned a beginning salary of $31,195 or $34,353 yearly in 1999, depending on their qualifications. Counseling psychologists concerned with vocational rehabilitation services for the VA started at $34,353 per year (1999) depending on their education and experience. The maximum rate for counselors was $49,066 and the maximum rate for psychologists was $58,808 in 1999. The maximum rate for program supervisors was $69,930.

Rehabilitation Counselors employed by the State of Michigan had annual salaries (1999) ranging from $30,485 to $47,314. Vocational rehabilitation representatives earned from $34,828 to $47,314. Those in administrative positions earned between $37,688 and $64,979.

Depending on the employer, most Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, hospitalization, medical, and dental insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay.

Experience or additional education is necessary for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to advance to administrative positions. A career ladder may be: vocational rehabilitation trainee; Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor; administrator. Advancement may be in the form of salary increases and the assignment of more difficult cases. It is also possible to find related counseling and teaching positions which may represent advancement in other fields, such as industry and education. Those teaching in colleges and universities follow the typical career ladder of faculty members.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 29,600 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors were employed in 1996. Employment of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2006, particularly for those with graduate training and those assisting private firms in equal opportunity efforts.

Approximately 850 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors are employed in Michigan. The State of Michigan, through its departments such as Department of Education, Bureau of Rehabilitation, and the Michigan Commission for the Blind employed about 400 Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants and Representatives. Veterans Administration counseling centers, insurance companies, labor unions, private vocational and medical rehabilitation facilities, private social services agencies, special schools, and colleges and universities also employed Counselors.

The employment growth for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors in Michigan will depend largely on federal government funding. Employment of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors is expected through the year 2005. Employment in private agencies is expected to increase as private companies are used more to assist in the rehabilitation of accident victims. Counselors with a graduate degree in rehabilitation and related work experience will have the best job outlook.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development