EPICS LLC will be giving away 4 Introductory Offers to organizations working with special populations.
Proposal for EPICS Study with [Your institution]
EPICS LLC
Karen Anderson-Fignon
Founder Owner
EPICScareer.com
Contact information:
Karen Anderson-Fignon MAAT, ATR-BC, LCAT
203.586.8247
[Your Institution]
[Your contact information]
Workshop Title and description:
EPICS: A Different Kind of Career Exploration- 90 min.
When you were choosing a career path for yourself, did you consider your six Holland Interest Themes? Did you discover your ideal environment, values, and personality type before choosing your career? Do we afford students the opportunity to do those things during their WBL curriculum in the transition program? During this workshop, you’ll experience research-based career exploration based on personal intuition, visual processing, and brain science. Through 1-2 hands-on exploration activities*, participants will walk away with a deeper insight into their own ideal careers, plus be ready to use the EPICS method for career exploration and WBL in their own schools & organizations.
The Environment & Personality Intuitive Card Sort (EPICS) is a new, visually literate, universal career inventory assessment tool. The assessment and corresponding activities meet and engage students at their level. The student motivators workbook brings awareness to components of a job, soft skills and personal and professional values, which aid in producing realistic lifestyle goals. EPICS is suited for the discovery phase of a customized employment plan and Individual Employment Plan (IEP).
Race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, intellectual ability and sexual orientation all play a role in an individual’s vocational development. Limited access to resources and adequate education, lack of career-related self-efficacy perceptions, financial issues, and low-hanging vocational aspirations are a few common career barriers. The EPICS assessment tool is particularly helpful in influencing the trajectory, aspirations, and achievements for these individuals’ careers. As a visual tool, it is non-threatening to those who may struggle with written language, accessible to all learners, and easily taken online.
The EPICS focuses on realistic, achievable goals, with driven end goal results. The EPICS provides tangible answers validating self-knowledge, and expounds on the importance of different values and skills needed in various work settings. An individual’s use of and engagement with the program can be a catalyst for transcending career barriers and obstacles. It can be used as a spring board for conversations on career and lifestyle needs, what interests are important and what one does not want to do.
As a professional development (PD) workshop, educators and staff will learn about the six Holland themes (RIASEC), take the assessment, and have the opportunity reflect and introspect on career their career choice. Participants are encouraged to use the workshop as a springboard for their own personal enrichment.
*Requires travel expenses
THE EPICS ASSESSMENT
- An imagery-based card sort which visually engages the individual
- No tedious answering of multiple answer questions
- Easily implemented in the discovery phase of customized employment plans
- Based on the Holland codes used by Department of Labor and many organizations
- Engaging, non-threatening, universal, applicable for all learning levels
- Outcome orientated- Drive end goals
- Results sent directly to counselor/advisor/coach
- Available in Spanish and Portuguese (most activities)
THE EPICS ASSESSMENT OFFERS JOBSEEKERS
- Ability to recognize self-knowledge
- Confirms strengths and talents
- Improve confidence and self esteem
- Provide self-validation
- Works towards economic self-sufficiency
- Identifies career pathways that align with values, interests and goals
Professional Development Training Workshop
The workshop begins with an overview of the Environment and Personality Intuitive Card Sort (EPICS) and its ideology. Based on the Holland codes, participants take the assessment, interpret their results, and partake in a right-brained art activity or activities depending on the time allotted.
Questions like “What do I want to do?” often plague individuals throughout one’s “work “span. The EPICS uses the power of imagery to tease out emotional ties, past experiences and intuitive connections. EPICS also can help identify obstacles and barriers that inhibit an individual from moving forward in his or her career.
Using brain science, the imagery uncovers forgotten strengths, skills and interests. Imagery when perceived by an individual, can transcend the cognitive sphere, enter into intuition, past events, or emotion, rapidly creating concrete links. These links signal our conscious, creating responses to an attraction and peaking our interest.
Acknowledging what we know intuitively and combining it with our own skills, and values, can help in successfully making a plan that promotes wellness and balance in our work-life and personal identity and other organizations for transition and career/life development.
Learning Objective 1: Experience a new and different kind of career exploration by relating the 6 Holland Interest Themes, right-brain processing, intuition, and visualization in a professional development workshop.
Learning Objective 2: Get trained on administering EPICS Career Exploration in order to disseminate it to students, school districts and other organizations for transition and career/life development.
Learning Objective 3: Learn how to interpret results to identify potential career or career pathway.
Learning Objective 4: Become cognizant of 3 typical obstacles or barriers in career exploration.
Learning Objective 5: Reflect and introspect on career/life choices through worksheets and hands-on art experientials adaptable for adults and students alike.*
Learning Objective 6: Participants will be able to translate their learned skills to facilitate EPICS to their students.
Options for the study
Option 1: Online PD Workshop (Zoom)
Trained facilitators give the EPICS assessment and activities to students
Staff to distribute and collect complete surveys and reflections
Option 2: On-site PD Workshop*
Trained facilitators give the EPICS assessment and activities to students
Staff to distribute and collect complete surveys and reflections
*Requires travel expenses
Option 3: On-site PD Workshop**
Trained facilitators and EPICS LLC give the EPICS assessment and activities to students
Staff to distribute and collect complete surveys and reflections
**Requires travel expenses and an extra day
Measurement & Reporting
The Holland Codes represented by EPICS include all career clusters as defined by the Perkins Act, adapted by the U.S. Department of Labor and The Occupational Information Network (O*Net).
Self-report surveys and are available on line for participants and facilitators. Self-reflection and response worksheets are included.
These surveys will be created by EPICS and Emily Barrett.
Data will be collected two to three times following the initial training, and will include indicators such as: number of participants reached, participant reflections pre-and-post EPICS, anecdotal evidence from counselors and teachers regarding the efficacy and usefulness of the assessment tools and resources. EPICS will use this data to determine future training, licensing and next steps in career exploration.
Resources needed for on-site PD workshop
WIFI access, presentation projector, tables for group work
Participants will need access to a tablet or computer during workshop
Resources for an online PD workshop:
WIFI access and a tablet or computer during workshop, no cell phones please.
If participating in virtual experientials:
Supplies to gather for the session: Scissors, Glue stick, 8×10 paper, Magazines (i.e. the kind of magazines you enjoy; e.g. Better Homes and Garden, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, etc. The least desirable magazines our Time, People, Star, Newsweek and other text-heavy print media)
Risks
No risks greater than daily life activities
References:
Alicia Kucharczyk, alicia.kucharczyk@ct.gov, Education Service Specialist, Aging and Disability Services and Bureau of Rehabilitation Service, Hartford, Connecticut.
Myra Scott, scottm@csdnb.org, Transition Specialist, New Britain Schools, CT
Sallie Jo Boehle, sboehle@ridgefieldps.net, Special Education Teacher, RHS Alternative High School, CT
Expectations of participants:
- EPICS: Provide access to the EPICS assessment and activities for approximately 50 students and a PD workshop for staff. Support via email for counselors using EPICS with their students, a loaner physical deck if necessary for some students, training and final report of all data collected.
- [Your institution]: Familiarity with the Holland codes and RIASEC, the ability to match their consumer’s results to same based systems like O*Net. Completed pre and post surveys from facilitators and students for a final report. Any issues or concerns to be brought to the attention of Karen Anderson.
- This workshop has been used for 1.5 CEU/clock hours CT’s Department of Aging and Disabilities and Connecticut Counseling Association. A certificate of participation can be given to those who complete the workshop.
- Completion by December 15, 2022
Bio
Karen Anderson-Fignon is a licensed clinical art therapist and founder of EPICSLLC. She created the EPICS assessment tool in 2013, and uses EPICS to help individuals find meaning and purpose in their work and daily lives. The program uses the results of the assessment with brain science to craft a short- and long-term goals. Additionally, to working with individuals on their career path, Karen presents at conferences, and facilitates professional development workshops to schools, vocational rehabilitation services and virtual group workshops.
Hands on Career Development workshop for ALL learners and ages- #Discover your unique code #Start YOUR EPICS Journey