Say hello to opportunities.

Employment First

Addressing Barriers to Employment is a comprehensive workforce-development program for individuals with disabilities. No matter the barrier, no matter your level of experience, the County of Orange and Goodwill of Orange County are here to help you find employment.

In partnership with the Orange County Workforce Development Board (OCWDB), Goodwill and the Orange County One-Stop Center will develop tailored job training, placement planning and employment services suited to you and your needs and goals.

The program includes:

• Co-enrollment into Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Services
• Vocational Preparation and Social Adjustment (VPSA) Training
• Soft Skills Development Training
• Paid Work Experience Opportunities
• Job Placement Services
• Referral to the Orange County One-Stop Center and System
• One-on-One Guidance and Support from a Goodwill Job Coach and One-Stop Center Staff

The Employment First office is open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.

Student Services Work Experience

Student Services Work Experience provides youth, ages 16-21, with a variety of disabilities with work experience training. Students gain work experience in a community integrated setting, earning minimum wage or higher. Work Experience training takes place over a three-month period and consists of 100 hours of work experience in total. Students participating in the Student Services Work Experience program will gain the following skills:

• Soft skills development
• Workplace communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Time management
• Experience with the employment application process
• Skills specific to industries of interest

The Student Services Work Experience office is open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major
holidays.

Once training in the community, the participant’s hours vary depending on the place of internship. Currently, our services may be able to provide job coaching support seven (7) days a week and up to eight (8) hours per day, if eligible.

Work Adjustment

Work Adjustment supports persons with a variety of disabilities as they adjust back into the work environment. Work Adjustment offers case management, behavioral management and support to help individuals develop appropriate work skills and behaviors for a work environment, including attendance and punctuality, communication skills, hygiene and grooming, work behaviors and social adjustment.

This program is ideal for people who have been without employment for a long period of time or have specific barriers to employment that have resulted in difficulties maintaining employment in the community.

Work Adjustment’s training hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding major holidays.

Some accommodations to training schedules are considered, which could be a reduced number of hours per day or a reduced number of days per week. All training schedules must be within 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Participants do not train on weekends.

Ticket to Work

Ticket to Work supports individuals with disabilities who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/ or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits find and retain meaningful employment. The program provides an opportunity for these individuals to learn new skills, earn more money, gain greater financial independence and meet new people.

As an authorized Employment Network (EN), Goodwill provides benefit ticketholders with a variety of employment services, job training opportunities and benefits counseling.

The Ticket to Work office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.

Employment WORKS

Employment WORKS is a supported employment program providing individualized job placement and job retention services to adults living with a mental health diagnosis. Each Program Participant works with an employment specialist and peer mentor to identify promising job opportunities, achieve vocational goals and succeed in the workforce.

Employment WORKS offers:

• Personalized program planning and assessment
• Job placement into competitive employment or volunteer employment
• Unlimited job coaching and on-the-job support
• Individualized benefits counseling
• Work experience opportunities

Employment WORKS is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.

Direct Placement

Direct Placement is an employment service for people with a variety of disabilities. Program participants receive job preparation and employment placement services, including employment application techniques, interview skill development, job search techniques and more. The desired outcome is sustainable employment for every individual enrolled in the program.

The Direct Placement office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.

LifeLaunch: Grow Opportunities

A second chance for success. An opportunity to start a new chapter.
The LifeLaunch: Growth Opportunities (GO) training program is designed to prepare justice-impacted young adults, ages 18–24, for success in the workplace.

Services include:

• Education and Occupational Skills Development
• Job Search and Placement Services
• Paid Work Experience
• Conflict Resolution and Leadership Development Training
• Support Services, including Housing, Transportation, Clothing and Legal Assistance

The LifeLaunch: GO program is made possible with a $4 million grant award, covering 86% of operating costs, from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. Goodwill® is contributing leveraged funding valued at $667,414 to cover the remaining 14% of operational costs.

The LifeLaunch: GO office is open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.