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Vocational assessment, done properly
A vocational assessment answers a specific question: what kind of work is realistic for this person, and what has to be in place for it to last. It is the foundation everything else is built on.
What's involved
Assessment is structured and evidence-based, drawing on the same methodology used in workers' compensation rehabilitation, adapted for NDIS participants and their goals.
- Skills, interests and aptitudesStructured interview and standardised tools to build a picture of what the person is capable of and genuinely drawn to.
- Functional capacity for workPhysical, cognitive and psychosocial capacity considered against the real demands of the roles being explored.
- Support needs in the workplaceWhat adjustments, supervision, routines or assistive technology would need to be in place for the person to succeed.
- Barriers and enablersTransport, fatigue, sensory environment, communication, behaviour, and anything else that will decide whether a job holds.
- A written report with recommendationsClear direction on suitable occupations, the pathway to get there, and the supports required, usable by the participant, family and support coordinator alike.
Who it's for
Vocational assessment suits participants who want to work but do not yet know what kind of work fits, school leavers deciding what comes next, and anyone whose circumstances have changed enough that an earlier plan no longer applies.
It is also the right starting point when previous job placements have not held. A placement that fails usually reveals a mismatch that assessment would have caught first.
A longer plain-English guide to what a vocational assessment involves, what gets assessed at each stage, and what the report should contain.
What is a vocational assessment? ›Which of these sounds like you?
People arrive at vocational assessment from three fairly distinct starting points. The assessment adapts to which one applies.
Not sure what direction to take
You want to work, study or volunteer, but you do not know what would suit you or where to begin. This is the most common reason for referral, and the one assessment is built for.
- Reviewing experience, skills and interests alongside the realities of your condition
- Building a clear picture of which occupations and study pathways are worth exploring
- Identifying work experience or volunteering that matches your interests, rather than whatever placement happens to be available
- Narrowing a long list into two or three options you can actually test
Looking for your first job
You know roughly what you want and need help getting there. Assessment establishes the target so that the applications that follow are aimed at something specific.
- Personalised planning built around your goals and support needs
- Work readiness coaching and capacity building
- Resume, cover letter and application development
- Interview preparation, including how to talk about disability if you choose to
- Liaison with employers so workplace adjustments are agreed before you start
- Strategies for searching independently, so the skills stay with you
Returning to work after injury, illness or a change in condition
Your capacity has changed and the work you did before may no longer be available in the same form. This is the situation our practice has the deepest background in.
- Reviewing skills, experience and current work capacity against real job demands
- Understanding the physical and cognitive requirements of specific roles
- Building readiness to return, at a pace that holds
- Navigating disclosure decisions with a clear view of the consequences either way
- Working with employers so adjustments are understood and put in place
- Education and support for both you and your employer, aimed at the placement lasting
Support items and funding
Support coordinators and plan managers often need the specific line items before a service agreement is drawn up. These are the categories our vocational supports are delivered under.
Our approved NDIS registration groups
Glowina Rehab and Wellbeing is approved to deliver supports under the following registration groups.
0102010601100128Capacity Building Supports — Finding and Keeping a Job
Employment Therapy – Rehabilitation Counsellor
Vocational assessment, vocational counselling and career planning delivered by a qualified rehabilitation counsellor.
10_620_0128_5_3
Capacity Building Supports — Improved Daily Living Skills
Therapy – Rehabilitation Counsellor
Assessment, recommendations, therapy or training delivered by a rehabilitation counsellor.
15_620_0128_1_3
Telehealth, non-face-to-face, provider travel and NDIA-requested report variants of both items are also available.
Not sure what is in the plan? Send the referral anyway and we will check the funding with you before anything starts.
What happens after
The assessment report is the beginning, not the end. Most participants move into vocational counselling to work through the options, then job seeking support to act on them. Because those services sit in the same practice, nothing is lost in the handover and the person does not have to tell their story twice.
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