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Orange County WDBs PY 2025-28 Unified Local Plan <br /> <br />18 | Page <br /> <br />1. Expanding the Pipeline of Job Coaches and Employment Support <br />Specialists <br />• Develop and promote clear career pathways for individuals interested in <br />supporting people with disabilities by working as job coaches, employment <br />specialists, and disability service professionals. <br />• Explore strategies to recruit and train older workers who are re-entering the <br />workforce due to the rising cost of living, offering them part-time employment <br />opportunities as job coaches. <br />• Map and explore various career pathways where entry-level job coaching and <br />employment support roles can be stepping stones to higher-paying careers in <br />human services, workforce development, and related industries. This approach <br />will help promote these positions as viable career opportunities and improve <br />recruitment and retention. <br /> <br />2. Increasing Training and Professional Development for Workforce Staff and <br />Partner Organizations <br />• Explore training opportunities through institutions like the UCLA Tarjan Center <br />to enhance workforce staff capabilities in serving individuals with disabilities. <br />• Conduct targeted surveys for individuals referred from DOR, RCOC, and other <br />workforce agencies to assess service effectiveness and identify gaps. <br />• Provide professional development and cross-training for workforce staff, <br />ensuring they are knowledgeable about DOR services, CIE programs, and <br />available workforce resources for individuals with disabilities. <br /> <br />3. Strengthening Employer Outreach and Engagement <br />• Increase efforts to educate employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with <br />disabilities and inform them about available hiring incentives. <br />• Continue to expand business outreach and engagement efforts, leveraging <br />chamber of commerce networks, LinkedIn Recruiter, and direct employer <br />outreach to increase CIE opportunities. <br />• Work with industry associations and business partners to promote inclusive <br />hiring practices and support employer-driven workforce solutions for individuals <br />with disabilities. <br /> <br />4. Expanding Access and Workforce Information <br />• Explore the creation of an online hub for disability workforce resources, <br />providing job seekers, workforce professionals, and employers with centralized <br />access to tools, training, and employment support services. <br />• Assess the potential for integrating disability workforce resources into the OC <br />Works Online Hub Project, in partnership with the Orange County Regional <br />Consortium (OCRC) to enhance accessibility and streamline information <br />sharing. <br />• Increase participant referrals through targeted outreach efforts, identifying and <br />partnering with CBOs to expand service reach and connect more individuals <br />with ID/DD to workforce development programs. <br /> <br />EXHIBIT 2