Vocational Services
All students at Genesee Lake School ages 14-21 will receive a vocational assessment to determine their strengths, needs, supports, and interests related to long-term career goals.
Results of the vocational assessment are used to determine where on the vocational progression continuum the needs of each student will best be met. We offer the following vocational opportunities for students:

On-Site Work Based Learning
Training, learning, and work-based activities provided in this program are for the benefit of the students and an extension of their goals through the IEP or PTP. During work-based learning, students do not receive compensation for work completed because the learning provided meets the following guidelines:
- The primary purpose is education and the activity is primarily for the benefit of the student
- The student performs the activities for time periods of one hour or less per day
- The student is supervised by an adult
The goal and intention of Work-based Learning for the students is to build skills necessary for work, enhance existing skills, and target specific goals for vocational success, ultimately leading to paid community employment. Support staff working with the student will begin to track progress in the following areas:
- Quality of Work
- Attitude and Motivation
- Level of Independence
- Support Method/Level
- Accepting Redirection/Direction
Classroom Structured Work Learning Systems
Provide work-readiness activities for students who are learning employment prerequisite skills. These structured tasks focus on assembly, sorting, matching, packaging stacking, cleaning, delivery, etc. Structured work learning systems will vary in each classroom and can be tailored to fit the students’ needs.
Community Volunteer Job Exploration and Job Shadows
Community-based opportunities provide students with information about work in a professional environment. Job shadows allow students to work on community social engagement. Students work on disability disclosure, advocate for their strengths, and educate themselves on an area of interest.
On-Site Paid Internship
Many jobs varying in type and degree have been established throughout the campus of Genesee Lake School, including at Homegrown Farms. These jobs are part of the operation; therefore, students are paid at least minimum wage to complete them. Onsite job opportunities include: Environmental Services, Animal Care, Human Services, Clerical, Food Services, and Administrative.
Community Paid Internship
After the students begin to meet their goals and objectives through the onsite paid internship program, they are offered work in a community setting that matches their career interests. Some of the community sites we have partnered with include: Aurora Hospital (Inventory/Delivery), Lake Country Manufacturing (Manufacturing/Packaging), MOD Pizza (Food Prep/Dishwashing/Custodial), Oconomowoc Library (Page), Lapham Peak- Hausmann Center (Custodial), and MyPath Corporate Offices (Clerical).
For more information about admission to Genesee Lake School, please click here.
For general information about vocational services please contact us.