Lesson 1: Meet Gina
Gina Carr From Discovery to Job Development
Gina Carr is a 24-year-old college student participating in supported supported employment services. During Discovery, it was noted that her vocational interests include hands-on work with plants and animals in settings that offer clearly defined tasks and some flexibility in the order of task completion. Gina is autistic and has an anxiety diagnosis, which she describes as feeling nervous.
Gina has prior experience assisting with gardening tasks while spending time with her grandparents, and she currently cares for two pets at home. She identifies caregiving as a meaningful and valued role, contributing positively to her sense of purpose and responsibility.
Strengths and Learning Characteristics
Gina demonstrated the ability to learn, retain, and apply new job-related tasks and responsibilities during Discovery. The employment specialist noted that she benefited from structured, low-pressure instruction that allows adequate time for processing and practice. Gina is recognized for her enthusiasm, reliability, and willingness to engage in new work tasks by those she goes to school with.
Her strong attention to detail enhances the quality of her work output. At times, this strength may require support to help determine when task completion criteria have been met and when it is appropriate to transition to the next task.
Instructional Preferences and Support Needs
Gina benefits most from hands-on instruction paired with visual supports such as checklists and task guides. She prefers to identify what she already knows about a task before beginning, which helps her sequence steps and move forward with confidence.
She values clear processes and methods for completing tasks and responds positively when expectations, tools, and outcomes are explicitly defined. Gina also seeks validation in understanding the problem-solving process by identifying the correct approach, completing each step accurately, and recognizing appropriate task completion.
Gina reports increased anxiety when closely monitored or pressured to complete tasks quickly. She demonstrates greater independence and accuracy when allowed to work at a self-directed pace with clear performance standards.
Employment Planning Considerations
Understanding Gina’s interests, strengths, and learning preferences informed the identification of appropriate job matches and necessary supports. Task analysis and shared evaluation with Gina support effective skill acquisition, guide the fading of supports, and assist in assessing progress toward employment stability.
Employment goals focused on identifying a part-time position that included:
- Clearly defined tasks with observable completion criteria
- Predictable routines and recognizable methods or measurements
- Opportunities for hands-on work and caregiving-related responsibilities
- Flexibility in pacing while maintaining employer expectations
Job Development and Employer Engagement
A local greenhouse and plant nursery was identified as a potential employment site consistent with Gina’s interests and strengths. The employer had advertised for part-time assistance with greenhouse and plant care tasks, along with additional duties as needed.
During a site visit, the employer identified tasks suitable for a new hire, including daily plant watering, weed removal, deadheading plants, and reclaiming pots and trays for reuse. The employer also described preparing flats for seed starting as a cost-saving and quality-improvement strategy and expressed openness to training a new employee in this process.
These tasks align well with Gina’s preference for structured, hands-on work, clear task completion criteria, and caregiving-oriented responsibilities.