Transitions to Employment

This page provides links to organizations and programs that may be of particular interest to students with disabilities in their transition toward employment during or after post-secondary.

*Please contact these organizations directly should you be interested as CAL is not a subject matter expert in employment support/readiness advising.

Camosun College Career Lab

Check out Camosun's Career Lab (Co-operative Education and Career Services), where you can get help engaging with organizations in meaningful ways through a variety of work-integrated learning and career opportunities. 

Camosun College Employment Exploration and Preparation Programs

Camosun offers several non-academic programs to help you decide on a career or education path or help you prepare or train for employment.

Work-Able Internship Program (BC Public Service)

Work-Able is a 12-month paid internship with the BC Public Service for recent (within the last 3 years) post-secondary graduates who self-identify as having a disability.

WorkBC Assistive Technology Services Centre

WorkBC Assistive Technology Services provides assistive technology or supports to individuals with disabilities to assist them to gain and sustain employment or community attachment.

Specialisterne Canada

Specialisterne is an internationally recognized leader in harnessing the talents of people on the autism spectrum, or with other neurodivergence, providing businesses with talented employees and providing recruits with the opportunity to sustain meaningful employment. Originally founded in Denmark in 2004, Specialisterne – Danish for The Specialists – has operations in 14 countries worldwide. Specialisterne Canada was established in 2013.

Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)

As the country’s largest employer, the federal government hires thousands of students every year to support in the delivery of services to Canadians. Check out the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities page.

NetWorks Employment Solutions

Island Community Mental Health NetWorks has been offering supported employment services in Greater Victoria since 2007. Using an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, NetWorks offers client-driven, individualized support for individuals recovering from mental illness to find and maintain paid employment of their choosing.

Lime (connect)

Lime is a global not-for-profit organization that's rebranding disability through achievement. Lime attracts, prepares, and connects high potential individuals for scholarships, The Lime Connect Fellowship Program, The Lime Connect Foundations Program, and internships and full-time careers with corporate partners.

British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS)

The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, or as more commonly known, BCANDS, is an award winning, Indigenous not for profit, charitable Society serving the unique and diverse disability and health resource / support service needs of Indigenous peoples across Canada.  BCANDS maintains Indigenous Employment Engagement Program resources. 

AccessWork

A work experience program assisting adults (19+) with a disability or mental health challenge find meaningful, paid work experience in the Greater Victoria area.

Island Ops

Island Ops is a free government-funded program designed to help individuals that self-identify as having a disability, gain sustainable employment throughout Vancouver Island, Powell River, & the Southern Gulf Islands.

AMI Paid Internships for Students with a Disability

Accessible Media Inc. provides exciting opportunities for students with paid internships in the Broadcast industry.

John Howard Society

Employment programs providing resources, skills, training, networks and supports necessary for individuals facing complex barriers to employment to work towards and achieve their professional goals. Some JHS employment programs are specifically designed for youth and young adults and persons with developmental disabilities and/or spectrum disorders. Services meet people where they are at, and assist them in meeting their self-determined goals and needs.

Working Together: Neil Squire

Working Together helps people with disabilities prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. This unique, comprehensive and participant centered program is designed to develop the skills required to help individuals achieve their employment goals.

Disclosure and Accommodation Guide for the Workplace

The University of Toronto has developed a helpful Disclosure and Accommodation Guide for the Workplace – a tool to support students who choose to disclose disabilities and seek accommodations at work.  While the guide refers to the Ontario employment environment, it identifies themes and considerations that apply to those seeking employment broadly.

 

 

Disclaimer: This page is being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Camosun College of any of the products, services or opinions of the external corporation or organization or individual. Camosun College bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of any external sites or for that of subsequent links. Contact the administrator of the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.