Employment Support Specialist

Provides employment support to people with disabilities who have jobs or own a business, including teaching skills to perform duties and building natural supports on the job.

Who's the Service for?

• People with disabilities who need support to maintain their employment and are connected to a state-funded program
• People with disabilities who need support to maintain their employment as part of an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)*

Certification and Training

College of Direct Support - Direct Support Professional and additional Work Support modules - College of Direct Support (CDS) is a suite of online courses that train support professionals to assist people with disabilities to lead meaningful, inclusive lives. The ME College of Direct Support offers registration on their website.

College of Employment Services Online Job Coaching Modules & Fading Supports In-Person Training - College of Employment Services (CES) is a suite of online courses that train employment professionals in best practices for supporting people with disabilities to build fulfilling careers. There are two parts to this training. You are required to complete the assigned job coach modules and also register for the in-person Fading Supports Training when it is offered. We offer registration for both the online and the in-person training on this website.

• Part 1: CES Online Job Coaching Modules
• Part 2: Fading Supports In-Person Training - Check the events page for the next offering

ACRE* Employment Specialist (ACRE Certificate) - you can take this training either online or in-person. This training teaches best practices in employment services, including career planning, job development, and job coaching strategies. You must complete fieldwork in addition to attending the trainings to get the certificate. We offer registration for both the online and the in-person training on this website.

ACRE Employment Specialist Training Offerings (Pick one)

ACRE Online Training: College of Employment Services (CES) provides this training. CES is a suite of online courses that train employment professionals in best practices for supporting people with disabilities to build fulfilling careers. There are two parts to the online training. You must complete both parts to get the certificate.

1. Part 1: complete the required CES online courses
2. Part 2: complete the required fieldwork assignments