Employment - steps towards getting a job

Getting a job is an important part of becoming an adult, and it can sometimes feel a bit tricky.

When you are at school or college you should have a discussion with a careers advisor about the sort of work you want to do when you leave. If you want to start work as soon as you finish school or college, it’s a good idea to start looking and applying for jobs about 3 months before you leave.

You can get more help from Wakefield Council's STEP-UP. You can find out more about them here STEP-UP - Wakefield Council .

There is also a free Transition to Employment Toolkit from Ambitious About Autism.
Young people, parents, carers and professionals can all use it to get helpful tips about finding work.

Employers, just like schools and colleges, have to make changes to help young people with SEND so they can do their job well. Starting a new job can feel tricky at first, but you might be able to get extra help to make things easier. You can find out about a scheme called Access to Work here. Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK

You might feel like you’re not ready for a job yet, and that’s okay. There are other ways to learn new skills, like apprenticeships or supported internships, which can help you get ready for work.

Apprenticeships are jobs where you get paid while you learn new skills. You work with real employers, and you also get training that helps you earn recognised qualifications. Most apprenticeships last between one and four years. You still get holiday time, just like in other jobs. If you have an EHC Plan, you can keep it during your apprenticeship, and both your employer and your training provider will help you work towards your goals.

Supported Internships are for young people aged 16–24 who have a learning disability and an EHC Plan.They help you learn new skills by working in a real job.You won’t get paid during the internship, but it helps you get ready for a paid job later.

The main aim is to help you get a paid job in the future. You will:

learn skills employers want
show employers what you can do
grow your confidence at work

A Supported Internship lasts one year and is full‑time (5 days a week). Most of your time (about 75%) is spent at work doing real tasks. You will usually try three different work placements in the year.

The rest of your time (about 25%) is in a training room learning skills to help you get a job. You may also work on qualifications like English and Maths.

In Wakefield we have two Supported Internship providers:

DfN Project SEARCH.
- Pinderfields Hospital - all of the work and teaching takes place at this hospital, or at Dewsbury Hospital
- New for 2026/27 Amazon, Methley
The Shaw Trust. The teaching takes place at the Lightwaves Community Centre, but the job placements can be anywhere in the district, depending on what you are interested in doing.

You will have a job coach who:

shows you how to do tasks step‑by‑step
helps you try new things
helps build your confidence
supports your employer so the job suits your needs

At the end of the programme you will get help to:

look for a paid job
apply for an apprenticeship
write your CV
prepare for interviews
get support from other services if needed.

This is an exciting new DFN Project SEARCH Supported Internship at the Amazon DSA6 warehouse.

All of the work placements and the teaching will be done on site. The teaching will be delivered by a tutor from Wakefield College.

You can find out more information about this here: PS Amazon Methley Flyer Apr 26

Or you can find more information about supported internships at Amazon here:

https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/working-at-amazon/amazon-supported-internships

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Last updated: 04/02/2026