[Mn-abs] Fw: INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN BLIND REHABILITATION

[Joe Orozco]

CAREER OPPORTUNITY - DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
> PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIPS
> TECHNICAL CAREER FIELD
>
> BLIND REHABILITATION SERVICE - VETERANS HEALTH  ADMINISTRATION
>
> INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN  BLIND REHABILITATION
>
> VA BLIND REHABILITATION  SERVICE IS OFFERING 10 FULL-TIME
> COMPETITIVE PAY INTERNSHIPS, IN THE BLIND  REHABILITATION CENTERS, FOR
> PROFESSIONALS WITH AT LEAST A BACHELOR'S  DEGREE.  INTERNS WILL
> PARTICIPATE IN A 2-YEAR FORMAL TRAINING AND  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED
> TO PROVIDE THEM WITH KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES  TO PROGRESS TO MORE
> RESPONSIBLE AND HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS.   INTERNSHIPS ARE LOCATED IN
> CHICAGO, IL, BIRMINGHAM, AL, WEST PALM BEACH, FL,  PALO ALTO, CA, SAN
> JUAN, PR, SEATTLE, WA AND WEST HAVEN, CT.
>
> INTERNS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE TRAINING WILL BE  ELIGIBLE
> TO APPLY FOR FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN VHA BLIND REHABILITATION OR MAY  BE
> PLACED NON-COMPETITIVELY IN A POSITION.  OPPORTUNITIES ARE  AVAILABLE
> FOLLOWING THE INTERNSHIPS TO PURSUE VA CAREERS THROUGH ADVANCEMENT  TO
> SPECIALIZED PRACTICE AND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.
>
> WORK WILL INCLUDE:
>
> ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL GOAL-BASED TRAINING
> PROGRAMS FOR  PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT WHO ARE TEENAGED TO  ELDERLY
> VETERANS.
> IMPLEMENTATION OF THE  TRAINING PROGRAMS TO HELP VETERANS
> ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
> COORDINATION OF THE VETERANS' OVERALL BLIND  REHABILITATION
> EXPERIENCES     FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.
>
> VA - A NATIONAL LEADER IN THE PROVISION OF BLIND AND  LOW VISION
> REHABILITATION
>
> THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA) HAS TEN INPATIENT  BLIND
> REHABILITATION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. STAFF AT THE  BLIND
> REHABILITATION CENTERS INSTRUCTS VETERANS IN THE SKILL AREAS  OF
> ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY, LIVING SKILLS, MANUALS SKILLS, VISUAL  SKILLS
> AND COMPUTER ACCESS TRAINING. OTHER STAFF INCLUDES LOW  VISION
> OPTOMETRISTS, A STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST, SOCIAL WORKER,  RECREATIONCOORDINATOR
> AND NURSING STAFF 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A  WEEK.
>
> EACH BLIND REHABILITATION STAFF  PROVIDES TRAINING FOR
> APPROXIMATELY 200 VETERANS ANNUALLY. CENTER STAFF  EXPERIENCES THE
> REWARDING AND CREATIVE CHALLENGE OF WORKING WITH A DIVERSE  GROUP OF
> VETERANS. STAFF MEMBERS ARE EXPOSED TO OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW IN  THEIR
> POSITIONS BY HELPING TO EVALUATE AND DEVELOP NEW TRAINING PROGRAMS  AND
> NEW DEVICES.  OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND  CONFERENCES
> SPONSORED BY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN BLIND  REHABILITATION.
>
> CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE  VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ARE
> ABUNDANT.  IN ADDITION TO THE  TRADITIONAL BLIND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS,
> VHA HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A THREE  YEAR, $40 MILLION DEPLOYMENT OF
> ADDITIONAL OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS EMPHASIZING  LOW VISION AND PROVIDING CARE
> FOR VETERANS CLOSE TO HOME. THESE PROGRAMS WILL  ENHANCE INPATIENT
> SERVICES AND EXPAND OUTPATIENT BLIND AND LOW VISION  SERVICES AT THE
> APPROXIMATELY 1,400 SITES NATIONALLY WHERE THE VHA PROVIDES  CARE.
>
> COMPETITIVE SALARY
>
> "BLIND REHABILITATION SPECIALIST" 601 SERIES - LEVELS  OF
> EMPLOYMENT
> GOVERNMENT SCHEDULE GRADES -7/9/11 FTEE SALARY  LEVELS EFFECTIVE
> JANUARY 2007
> .   GS-7   $41,367 YEARLY
> .   GS-9    $50,599  YEARLY
> .   GS-11*$61,221 - $79,590 (*SALARY POTENTIAL  IMMEDIATELY
> FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP)
>
> ADDITIONAL INTERNSHIP BENEFITS
>
> DURING  THE 2-YEAR TRAINING PERIOD THE INTERNSHIP ALSO PROVIDES
> (IN ADDITIONAL TO  SALARY):
>
> $5000.00 PER YEAR FOR  TRAINING AND TEXTBOOKS.
> $5000.00 PER YEAR FOR  TRAVEL AND LODGING TO ATTEND BLIND
> REHABILITATION CONFERENCES  AND MEETINGS.
> FUNDS FOR RELOCATION AT THE  CONCLUSION OF THE PROGRAM IF THE
> INTERN IS PLACED AT A FACILITY OTHER THAN  THE TRAINING SITE.
>
> UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION  OF THE PROGRAM, INTERNS WILL BE
> INVITED TO APPLY FOR ONE OF THE MANY  POSITIONS IN BLIND REHABILITATION
> NATIONWIDE AND WILL BE CONVERTED TO  CAREER-CONDITIONAL OR CAREER
> APPOINTMENTS.
>
> FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
>
> 10  PAID FEDERAL HOLIDAYS
> 13 TO 26 DAYS OF PAID  ANNUAL LEAVE (PERSONAL/VACATION)
> 13 DAYS OF PAID  SICK LEAVE PER YEAR WITH NO LIMIT ON
> ACCUMULATION
>
> QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
>
> ELIGIBILITY FOR HIRE BY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA GOVERNMENT
> MINIMUM OF  BACHELORS DEGREE - PREFERABLY IN ALLIED HEALTH FIELD RELATED
> TO BLIND/VISION  REHABILITATION
>
> FOR MORE INFORMATION,  CONTACT:
> GALE WATSON - BRS TECHNICAL CAREER FIELD PROGRAM  MANAGER
> GALE.WATSON at VA.GOV
>
> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
> SELECTION WILL BE  MADE WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, RELIGION, COLOR, SEX,
> AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN,  MARITAL STATUS, NON-DISQUALIFYING PHYSICAL
> HANDICAPS, ORGANIZATIONAL  AFFILIATIONS, OR ANY OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.
>
>
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