Identification and Validation of Competencies Needed by Practitioners Working in the Field of Rehabilitation Employment Services

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify and validate the competencies needed by individuals working in the field of rehabilitation employment services to perform their jobs effectively. Through an on-line survey, specialists (practitioners and educators) determined which aspects of performance were essential (or at least important) to the vocation of rehabilitation employment services. The results indicated five competency domains (History and Legislation; Employer Development and the Work Environment; Job Matching and Placement; Employment Supports; and Other) were perceived as important or very important in the field of rehabilitation employment services. The two highest rated competency domains (Job Matching and Placement, and Employer Development and the Work Environment)suggest the value of a two-client model in which direct services are provided to both rehabilitation consumers and employers (Bissonnette, 1994; Fabian, Leucking, & Tilson, 1995; Marrone, Gandolpho, Gold, & Goff,1998). Employment position practitioner or educator) was found to have no significant effect on the perceptions of competency in rehabilitation employment services. This finding implies the integration of theory with actual best practices in the field; however, additional research is warranted to determine if the essential competencies validated by this study are ordinarily included in rehabilitation curriculum.