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Secondary Transition to Employment Program (STEP) - (Career and Transition Services)

A collaborative effort among FCPS staff and businesses in Fairfax County to provide students aged 18 to 22 with employment training in real work settings.

STEP is for students aged 18-22 with disabilities who need a modified curriculum. The STEP program curriculum focuses on career and life skills. Students spend the majority of their day working on employment-related skills. Students may spend up to 5 hours per day on a job site. STEP students also take part in work-based learning activities. Work-based learning consists of a range of options, including:

  • Visits to businesses
  • Job shadowing 
  • Situational assessments
  • Paid and unpaid community work experiences 
  • Internships

STEP Program Goals

  • Prepare students for competitive employment at the highest level of independence possible.
  • Expand opportunities for students whose postsecondary goal is employment.
  • Build independent living skills through community trips and life skills instruction.

STEP instructors support students by:

  • Providing career and independent living skills training to students with disabilities.
  • Helping students with the transition to a variety of postsecondary options.
  • Providing students with self-determination, independent living, and workplace readiness skills instruction.
  • Coordinating the transition of all students with adult service providers.

Instruction takes place in a wide range of environments, including:

  • Classrooms
  • Community work experience training sites
  • Community-based instruction, including access to public transportation, banks, shops, etc.
  • Travel training

STEP Student Goals

  • To determine job preferences and strengths.
  • To learn job skills in real work settings.
  • To ease the transition from school to work.
  • To build self-confidence.
  • To develop a work history and a resume.

STEP Curriculum Areas

Employability

  • Career Exploration
  • Work Skills and Behaviors
  • Job-Seeking

Independent Living

  • Time Management
  • Banking/Money Management
  • Household Management
  • Food Preparation 
  • Personal Health and Safety
  • Recreation/Leisure
  • Travel/Transportation

Personal/Social

  • Social Skills
  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Self–advocacy

STEP Locations

Currently, FCPS has four STEP locations:

  • Chantilly High School
  • Davis Career Center
  • Mount Vernon High School
  • South Lakes High School

Students attend a specific STEP site according to their base school location.

Questions?

For more information about STEP, please contact Career and Transition Services at 571-423-4150.

Related Pages

Career and Transition Services Presentation

Presentation on FCPS Career and Transition Services (CTS) by Sarah Blake, Janelle Ellis and Trevor Christensen.

Career Centers Overview

This Career Centers Overview was presented by Davis and Pulley Centers on November 14, 2018
photo of culinary student and teacher

Davis Career Center

The S. John Davis Career Center is one of two Fairfax County Public Schools centers that provides career and employment skills instruction to students with disabilities.
students working with teacher in technical education class

Career and Transition Services

Career and Transition Services supports students as they prepare to transition to a variety of postsecondary options.
Photo of student and teacher

Pulley Career Center

The Earl L. Pulley Career Center is one of two Fairfax County Public Schools centers that provides career and employment skills instruction to students with disabilities.
a group of four teenage boys dressed in suits standing in front of buildings

Career Preparation Activities

Learn about work through work. Career preparation engages students in authentic learning experiences. Students develop soft and hard skills that they can take to the workplace as an adult.