Brennen and Networks Students to Compete in
2nd Annual Job Olympics

The Delaware Department of Labor/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and New Castle County School Districts are presenting the second annual Job Olympics on Thursday March 25.  Job Olympics is a competition developed to promote transition and employability skills for high school special education students age 16-21 with cognitive and intellectual disabilities.  One hundred students are expected to participate in the Job Olympics this year – up to 34 of which will come from Brennen School (Delaware Autism Program) and Networks School For the Entrepreneurial Sciences.

Business people from the community and instructors from participating schools judge the competitions representing actual job and employment situations.  Each student will participate in three events. Medals will be awarded for the top three competitors for each category and all students will receive an official Job Olympic certificate. 

With the emphasis on transition for special education students, Job Olympics provides an excellent vehicle for implementing many transition-related topics into classroom settings.  The Job Olympics contest not only allows special education students to compete in job simulations and to improve job skills but also allows them to initiate new friendships, raise self-esteem and build confidence.  Student preparation for Job Olympics provides skill practice and mastery, problem-solving and generalization, and most importantly a practice of key employability skill components that are expected on the job such as appropriate job behaviors, attitudes, and grooming.