Youth Employment Services

Gain the skills you need after graduation

Many young people have a difficult time finding their first job with no experience or work skills. Imagine being blind or visually impaired as well. With a 70% unemployment rate nationally for people with vision loss, gaining these skills early on gives them a jump start on future career plans. 

Bosma's Youth Employment Services (YES) Program helps our clients develop valuable life skills and offers them the training needed to find and keep a job. 

Pre-Employment Transition Services

We offer Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) that get students ready to look for their first job by exposing them to individualized quality experiences. 

These Pre-ETS experiences include:

• Career exploration activities
• Volunteer opportunities
• Networking activities with successful blind and low-vision adults
• Opportunities to attend local and national conferences and advocacy events
• Internships with local businesses
• Assistance with locating scholarships … and more

Participation in these kinds of activities demonstrates a student’s initiative and is essential to employers reviewing resumes of applicants who have little or no experience.

Student Training and Employment Program

Bosma has partnered with the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) to offer the Student Training and Employment Program (STEP) to students who are blind or visually impaired, ages 16-22. They are placed in paid three-week internships in the community to develop skills on the job. Each student is paired with a job coach, who facilitates training at the job site. STEP participants are compensated by Bosma for all hours worked.

During the intensive four-week course, students will stay at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Indianapolis, where lodging and most meals will be provided by STEP sponsors. In the evenings and on weekends, participants will help plan on- and off-campus activities that offer opportunities to practice social and dining skills.*

Evening and Friday sessions also include:

• Reviewing the day’s work 
• Identifying career paths and job goals
• Developing an understanding of employer expectations
• Creating a portfolio to assist in future career advancement
• Designing and implementing strategies to enable their successful performance of job tasks
• Practicing job skills such as writing a resume, completing job applications and participating in practice interviews

*There may be a minimal cost to the student or family for some recreational activities.