Transition to Employment (TTE)

Enhancing skills for future employment.

Our Transition to Employment (TTE) program focuses on developing and improving employment skills. The program is funded by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and is a competitive program that accepts individuals 16 and older. Consumers learn the meaning and value of employment and work on a full spectrum of activities and skills needed for success including continuing to enhance key independent living skills.

TTE TRAINING ACTIVITIES

In TTE consumers work on employment skills from surveys identifying strengths and weaknesses to formal mock interviews.

TTE Training Modules

Module 1: Assessing learning styles

Module 2: Identifying likes, dislikes, and interests

Module 3: Assessing career interests

Module 4: Enhancing self-determination

Module 5: Developing safety skills

Module 6: Developing positive work behaviors

Module 7: Dressing for success

Module 8: Following the rules

Module 9: Getting along with your supervisor

Module 10: Getting along with your coworker

Module 11: Responding to and resolving conflict at work

Module 12: Developing a resume

Module 13: Applying for a job

Module 14: Getting to work

Module 15: Receiving and using your paycheck

Module 16: Job exploration and job shadowing

Module 17: Understanding the impact of income on disability benefits

Training Activity Details

Job Search Skills

knowing personal information, creating a resume, searching for jobs, performing at job interviews

Employee Social Skills

working with others, managing conflict

Office Skills

collating, stapling, filing, mailing

Finance Skills

banking, budgeting, making change

Food Management

food-handling and food service skills

Safety

safe ladder use, safe lifting, safe knife use …

L.I.F.E. SNACK SHACK

TTE consumers learn useful employment skills managing our L.I.F.E. Snack Shack. The snack shack has really taken off this year with more variety and complexity of items for sale and creative advertising! Our staff love supporting the snack shack!

NASCAR ZOOMTOWN MARKET

TTE consumers had an opportunity to run the Zoomtown Market at the NASCAR motor speedway!

TTE LEADERSHIP

ASHLEY WATZKEDirector of Day Treatment, Transition, and Employment

About Ashley

Role:

As the Director of Day Treatment, Transition, and Employment Services I oversee a variety of programs within our organization. I train and assist staff throughout their day, I make great efforts to best support all staff so they can best serve our consumers. My job is not only to train and support our staff, but to ensure our programming is the best it can be.

Career History:

I have been lucky to work in different settings since August of 2008, serving children and adults with developmental disabilities. I have been with L.I.F.E. since July 2013 where I started as a habilitation provider in the community and then later in the adult program on campus. I quickly fell in love with the values, morals and support L.I.F.E. offered to not only the consumers but also to staff. I felt privileged to become and serve as a teacher in the academy, later growing into Student Services Supervisor. I’m lucky to serve on our Leadership Team, with many other individuals.

Personal Teaching Philosophy:

“Love what you do and never work a day in your life”

– Unknown

Personal:

I have been married to my best friend for almost 8 years now and when we are not at work, you can find us chasing around our crazy wild daughters. In 2015, while I was teaching pre-school within the L.I.F.E. Academy, I had a student that at the time was in search of her forever home. Little did I know this little girl would become a huge part of my husband and my life. We adopted her in 2017 and she is now our daughter! As a family we enjoy weekends at home hanging out with our family and going camping when we can! We absolutely live for football season and the Arizona Cardinals; we won’t miss a game.

HEIDI RIFFLELead Employment Coordinator

About Heidi

Career History

In 2014 I started working at a group home not knowing that years later I would still be working in this field and loving it. I joined the L.I.F.E. team in 2019 where I worked part-time assisting in Transition to Employment and part-time as a Direct Support Professional in the DTA. In 2021 I got the privilege of running the TTE program full time with both a class in the morning and the afternoon.

Teaching Philosophy

I believe every person has the potential to learn and grow. I like to find creative and fun ways to help different people learn in different ways that work for them.

Personal

In 2016, I moved from Minnesota to Arizona with my dog, Moe. My parents, sister, and my niece all live here too. I get to spend a lot of time with them. I also have a brother who is in the Army. When I’m not at work, I am usually working on some type of craft or going to a concert.

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