Vocational Catalog
PLEASE NOTE: A 30-60 day application approval period is required so please submit your application packets at least 2 months prior to the prospective start date.
30 Day Evaluation
It is important to LWSB's staff that we fully understand each client as an individual and grasp his or her unique needs. The first 30 days at LWSB are spent in evaluation. LWSB staff and consultants get to know new clients and their skills during this time. Vocational evaluation and testing are also available.
Based on the evaluation results, the professional staff will determine if the trainee has the skills necessary for vocational training in the program of his/her choice, or if additional personal adjustment and/or prevocational training are needed to improve skills. The general skill expectations for entrance into all vocational programs are listed below.
Desktop Support Technician
Program Length: 4 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: This program prepares an individual to be an entry-level technician in the Information Technology (IT) field. At the end of this program, a person will be able to install, upgrade, and repair personal computers connected to a network infrastructure in an office environment. This includes how to work with components inside of a computer as well as connecting peripheral devices, such as printers, monitors, keyboards, etc. The individual will also be able to work with network connectivity devices, including routers, switches, and wireless access points. The individual will be able to connect computers to a wired or wireless network.
This program is divided into two sections. The first part covers the A+ Certification curriculum. Intended for entry-level IT technicians, the CompTIA A+ exam encompasses preventative maintenance, basic networking, installation, troubleshooting, communication, and professionalism. The certification requires the completion of two exams. The second section covers the Network+ Certification. This exam encompasses managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, operating, and configuring basic network infrastructure. It requires passing one exam.
Assistive technology available in the classroom and computer laboratory includes screen magnification and speech output systems, as well as closed circuit televisions for magnifying print. This course serves as a prerequisite for the Microsoft Computer Systems Engineer program.
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- Print reading speed of 100 wpm, with 75% comprehension
- Good comprehension of technical written material using assistive technology, if applicable
- Keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- Wonderlic score of 25
- 12th grade proficiency in business math
- High proficiency on appropriate assistive technology
- Ability to work in a high-tech environment
- Strong logical reasoning ability
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Positive attitude
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Willingness to relocate for employment
Assistive Technology Instructor (ATI)
Program Length: 9 months
Enrollment Dates: Open
Program Description: A nine-month course with open enrollment dates. |
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The curriculum includes instruction in all types of adaptive equipment, installation of hardware and software, instruction to find solutions to computer equipment problems, production of training manuals in accessible format, and professional teaching skills.
The assistive technology available in the classroom includes screen magnification, speech output systems, refreshable Braille displays, portable note-taking devices, Braille printers, scanners, closed circuit televisions for print magnification, and accessible Internet.
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- Successful completion of the ATI proficiency test
- Print reading speed of 100 wpm, with 75% comprehension
- Braille reading speed of 30 wpm (if primary Braille user)or 10 wpm (if non-Braille user)
- Keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- 12th grade spelling and grammar level
- Wonderlic score of 21
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Strong logical reasoning ability and emotional maturity
- Ability to learn and retain information
- Good interpersonal relationship qualities
- Ability to work in a high-tech environment
- Ability to adapt to constant change
- Four year degree is recommended
Program Length: 2 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: The training is designed to qualify an individual as a Tax Examining Technician (TE) in the AUR function of the Internal Revenue Service. The AUR examines tax returns and matches them to what is reported as paid to taxpayers from third parties, such as employers, banks, brokers, and other financial institutions.
The first phase of training prepares candidates to examine tax returns, either paper or virtual (electronically filed), to identify and correct discrepancies in reporting, to assess the proper tax liabilities, to increase voluntary compliance, and to educate the taxpayer on correct reporting requirements.
The TE will learn to use and navigate a variety of complex computer systems and applications with adaptive equipment. The computer equipment and assistive technology used in the classroom includes personal computers with ZoomText large print screen magnification system and closed circuit televisions for print magnification.
After subsequent phases of training are completed on the job, the TE will perform work in a structured call site environment featuring an automated telephone system. The graduate must be willing to relocate to one of the IRS call sites located in the United States.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be U.S. citizen
- Pass background, tax and fingerprint checks, plus a telephone skills assessment
- For entry-level GS-5, you must have a High School diploma or GED with four years of college or equivalent job-related experience
- The ability to read print at 100 wpm with 75% comprehension when reading technical materials
- Filling out forms with a keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- 90% accuracy on a math test (using a calculator)
- 12th grade spelling level
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Strong logical reasoning ability
- Emotional maturity
Must meet all Federal Government hiring guidelines
Program Length: 4 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: The training is designed to qualify an individual as a collection tax examiner for the Internal Revenue Service. The curriculum includes lectures and textbook study of technical information about tax law, regulations and IRS procedures. The individual is taught how to obtain information on the taxpayer’s financial status, potential levy sources and taxpayer whereabouts, in order to encourage voluntary compliance with federal tax laws, and initiate corrective action to prevent future delinquencies.
The individual also receives practical experience on how to conduct telephone interviews with taxpayers, their representatives and/or third parties, to demand full payment of delinquent taxes and immediate filing of delinquent returns.
The individual learns to use a personal computer to input and retrieve information in the IRS database while assisting the taxpayer on the telephone. The computer equipment and assistive technology used in the classroom includes state-of-the-art adaptive systems utilizing JAWS and ZoomText, as well as refreshable Braille displays. The graduate must be willing to relocate to one of the IRS automated call sites located in the United States.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be U.S. citizen
- Pass background, tax and fingerprint checks, plus a telephone skills assessment
- For entry-level GS-5, you must have a High School diploma or GED with four years of college or equivalent job-related experience
- Print reading speed of 100 wpm, with 75% comprehension or Braille reading speed of 60 wpm with 75% comprehension
- 90% accuracy on math exam (using a calculator)
- Good independent living and travel skills
- 12th grade spelling level
- Filling out online forms with a keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- Ability to work well with people under pressure
Must meet all Federal Government hiring guidelines
IRS Service Center Collection Representative
Program Length: 4 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: The training is designed to produce an individual qualified to work as a tax examining technician for the Internal Revenue Service. The curriculum includes instruction in basic tax law, and how to handle taxpayer correspondence, payment tracers, credit transfers, and telephone skills. The individual learns to use a personal computer in order to rapidly and effectively access taxpayer information. The computer equipment and assistive technology used in the classroom includes personal computers with ZoomText large print screen magnification system and closed circuit televisions for print magnification.
The graduate must be willing to relocate to one of the IRS Service Centers located nationwide.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be U.S. citizen
- Pass background, tax and fingerprint checks, plus a telephone skills assessment
- For entry-level GS-5, you must have a High School diploma or GED with four years of college or equivalent job-related experience
- The ability to read print at 100 wpm with 75% comprehension when reading technical materials
- Filling out forms with a keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- 90% accuracy on a math test (using a calculator)
- 12th grade spelling level
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Strong logical reasoning ability
- Emotional maturity
- Must meet all Federal Government hiring guidelines
Program Length: 5 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description:The training is designed to prepare a person to assist taxpayers with filing information at the Taxpayer Service Division of the Internal Revenue Service. The curriculum includes instruction in IRS tax law, procedures, and forms. The individual is also taught telephone etiquette to assist citizens with tax questions over the telephone. The computer equipment and assistive technology used in the classroom includes state-of-the-art adaptive systems utilizing JAWS and ZoomText, as well as refreshable Braille displays.
The graduate must be willing to relocate to one of the IRS offices nationwide.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be U.S. citizen
- Pass background, tax and fingerprint checks, plus a telephone skills assessment
- For entry-level GS-5, you must have a High School diploma or GED with four years of college or equivalent job-related experience
- Ability to read print at 100 wpm with 75 percent comprehension, or Braille at 60 wpm with 75 percent comprehension
- 90% accuracy on a math test (using a calculator)
- 12th grade spelling level
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Filling out forms with a keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- Must meet all Federal Government hiring guidelines
Program Length: 7 months
Enrollment Dates: Open
Program Description: The training is designed to effectively prepare the individual to successfully pass certification exams for in the Microsoft Office applications to prepare an individual to function in an office environment or as a first level application support specialist. The training consists of computer training in Microsoft Windows with Microsoft Office products. Computer training is accomplished with the use of Assistive Technology such as screen-reading programs and magnification programs, depending on the individual’s needs.
In the computer training module, the individual learns how to use the Microsoft Office suite of programs and to obtain the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certification in Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Word Expert 2007, Microsoft Excel 2007, Microsoft Excel Expert 2007, Microsoft Access 2007, Microsoft Outlook 2007 and Microsoft PowerPoint 2007.
The program is primarily self-paced with scheduled instructional times and group activities. Assignments are prepared which integrate the knowledge of multiple applications to demonstrate proficiency.
Optional Call Center Instruction is included for those individuals with a desire to work as a customer service representative in a company call center. Instruction includes technical skills and diversity training, communication skills, switchboard usage and application, and customer service principles.
Note: This course was previously called Customer Service.
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- Keyboarding speed of 35 wpm (45 wpm preferred)
- 12th grade spelling level
- Print reading speed of 100 wpm with 75% comprehension
- Wonderlic test score of 17
- Excellent ZoomText or JAWS skills
- Good independent living and travel skills
Microsoft Certified Professional Developer
Program Length: 10 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: The training is designed to educate the individual in computer programming and prepare the individual to work as a programmer at a business that has a computer network. The course is divided into three training modules: an introduction to programming; the .Net programming environment; development; followed by an internship.
The first module combines an introduction to the Eclipse development environment and the Java programming language. The second module focuses on the .Net programming environment. Languages and environments taught include C sharp, XML, SQL, Visual Studio, SOAP, and WCF. The third module is a follow up to the academic instruction. Individuals work on development projects which serve to pull the diverse elements of the programming courses into a cohesive understanding of programming. Successful completion of the course will result in five Microsoft certifications: four Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists (MCTS) and one MCPD.
Note: This course was previously called Enterprise Solutions Programming.
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- Good comprehension of technical written material using assistive technology, if applicable
- Keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- High proficiency on appropriate assistive technology
- 12th grade proficiency in business math
- Wonderlic score of 25
- Strong logical reasoning ability
- Ability to learn and retain information
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Ability to work in a high-tech environment
- Willingness to relocate for employment
- Positive attitude
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication skills
Microsoft Computer Systems Engineer
Program Length: 10 months
Enrollment Dates: Scheduled
Program Description: The training is designed to prepare a person to work as a computer systems problem-solver at a business that has a computer network, such as educational institutions, hospitals, government agencies, or banks. The entry level position is usually at a help desk with advancement into information technology management.
The curriculum throughout the course prepares individuals for Microsoft Computer Systems Engineer 2003 industry-standard certification through seven certification exams. Eight months of training is spent in the classroom, and the remaining two months are spent in internships with local organizations. Training for Microsoft Computer Systems Engineer course is held in a state-of-the-art training lab. Assistive technology available in the classroom and computer laboratory includes screen magnification and speech output systems, as well as closed circuit televisions for magnifying print.
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- A+ and Network+ certified
- Good comprehension of technical written material using assistive technology, if applicable
- Keyboarding speed of 30 wpm
- High proficiency on appropriate assistive technology
- 12th grade proficiency in business math
- Wonderlic score of 25
- Strong logical reasoning ability
- Ability to learn and retain information
- Ability to work in a high-tech environment
- Willingness to relocate for employment
- Good independent living and travel skills
- Positive attitude
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication skills
