Overview
The Realizing Aptitudes program provides evidence-based, human-centered career and postsecondary readiness coaching to youth and young adults facing adversity, emphasizing a multiple pathway model and 1:1 approach to meet each youth where they’re at and help them build a vision of what’s possible for their futures.
After meeting with their coach, students have a deeper understanding of their interests, skills, strengths, and a road map of the next steps they can take to secure their future, whether through workforce entry or post-secondary education.
Coaches, also, work with students on stress management techniques using a positive psychology framework and developing essential skills (Colorado Department of Education Essential Skills model) to help students develop the core skills necessary to successfully continue their education and/or enter the workforce.
Scope of Coaching Service
The scope of service provided by RA is robust and spans the spectrum of career exposure/exploration to decision making, helping individuals identify career pathways that are a good fit and aligned with high demand industries in CO, paired with local education/credential attainment pathways. Working with its partners, Realizing Aptitudes strives to provide a multitude of career exposure options, including work-based learning opportunities, to address “exposure bias” experienced by many of the students the program serves.
The Realizing Aptitudes program works almost exclusively with other nonprofit partners to pool existing resources and create the most engaging career and postsecondary readiness programming for youth and young adults.
RA works with each partner individually to understand what, if any, existing career and postsecondary readiness programming is in place and how RA’s scope of service can complement or enhance what’s currently offered, highlighting high-demand Colorado industries, thereby creating a cohesive, engaging career development experience for students.
RA works with each partner individually to understand what, if any, existing career and postsecondary readiness programming is in place and how RA’s scope of service can complement or enhance what’s currently offered emphasizing a succinct, shared career cluster model highlighting high demand industries and jobs in CO, thereby creating a cohesive, engaging career development experience for students.
Realizing Aptitudes Partnership
Mile High Youth Corps
Realizing Aptitudes was their 2023 partner of the year
The Realizing Aptitudes program is committed to continuously learning from students and partners, and discussing its work in community settings.
2010-2015
Falkoski, J. (2010) Employee engagement, burnout, and coping as it applies to creating a resilient culture [Conference presentation]. The International Network on Personal Meaning Conference 2019, Vancouver, BC.
Falkoski, J. (2013). Understanding common themes of motivation and coping: insight into career development assessment [Conference presentation]. International Life Design and Career Counseling Conference, Laboratory for Research and Intervention in Vocational Designing and Career Counseling at the University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Falkoski, J. (2015). Value of cognitive ability assessment in informing an interest-based career trajectory [Poster session]. American Counseling Association 2015 Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.
Falkoski, J. (2015). Application of coping theory and assessment in career development to enhance resiliency in an adolescent and young adult population [Conference presentation]. Colorado Career Development Association 2015 Conference, CO, United States.
2016-2020
Falkoski, J. & Flynn, A. (2016). Using assessment to help clients promote critical soft skills and person-organization fit [ Conference presentation]. Colorado Career Development Association 2016 Conference.
Falkoski, J. & Flynn, A. (2016). Application of coping assessment in career development to enhance resiliency and occupational functioning [Poster session]. International Association for Education and Vocational Guidance 2016 Conference, Madrid, Spain.
Flynn, A. & Falkoski, J. (2017). Guiding the whole student: the importance of addressing career with holistic wellness [Conference presentation]. NCDA 2017 Global Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.
Falkoski, J. & Flynn, A. (2018) Personal branding: what it is and why you need it to enhance your professional growth as a career practitioner [Roundtable discussion]. NCDA 2018 Global Conference, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Flynn, A. & Falkoski, J. (2018). Empower your clients through personal branding [Roundtable discussion]. NCDA 2018 Global Conference, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Falkoski, J. (2018). Enhancing strengths-based college and career readiness [Conference presentation]. Colorado School Counselor Association 2018 Conference, Keystone, CO, United States.
Schneider, S. (2018). Mental health: using a universal screening within multi-tiered system of supports [Conference presentation]. Colorado School Counselor Association 2018 Conference, Keystone, CO, United States.
Schneider, S. (2019). Wellness as applied to stress, coping and resiliency: school counseling implications [Poster session]. American Counseling Association 2019 Conference, New Orleans, LA, United States.
Flynn, A. (2019). An innovative integration of the cci with traditional career assessments for at-risk youth [Roundtable discussion]. NCDA 2019 Global Conference, Houston, TX, United States.
Flynn, A. (2019). Empower your students through personal branding [Conference presentation]. Think Big 2019 Conference, Vail, CO, United States.
2021-2023
Flynn, A. & Zakerski, S. (2021). VIA character strengths: innovative strategies and creative exercises for career navigation during uncertain times [Conference presentation]. NCDA 2021 Global Conference, Virtual.
Zakerski, S. & Flynn, A. (2021). Innovative tools & techniques for facilitating virtual career workshops with students [Conference presentation]. NCDA 2021 Global Conference, Virtual.
Flynn, A. (2023). Together, we can do so much: Tips for building strategic partnerships [Conference presentation]. Think Big 2023 Conference, Loveland, CO, United States.
Flynn, A. (2023). Utilizing challenge cards for career exploration [Conference presentation]. Think Big 2023 Conference, Loveland, CO, United States.
Interested in Partnering?
To partner with us, please email the Realizing Aptitudes Program Manager, Ashley Flynn, at [email protected]