The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of field training at local institutions on the life attitude, self-efficacy, and employment retention rate of students with intellectual disability in high school special-class. Every human being is preparing and trying to achieve a happy life. The essential part of achieving a happy life is having a job. Occupation is an economic source for happiness and a basic foundation for self-reliance and self-realization. This socialization activity through job means growth as a human being. This socialization activity presupposes that the person runs his life in the common life style of social life. In Korea, intellectual disability is the one of the most common types of disability, but employment rate and retention rate are very low. In order to solve these problems, it is necessary to find out the way through linkage among local institutions in understanding and application of field-oriented vocational education of high school students with intellectual disabilities. It is also necessary to change life attitudes and self efficacy of the students toward more positive direction. It is urgent to restore the expectation of oneself for job and to provide the right vocational education. If it is provided properly, it could be prevented the returning to the home or facility in adults with intellectual disabilities.
In this study, we selected 6 students in the first year of the 2015 school year who wanted to work as barista and 4 students (two male and two female student) who agreed to participate in the study.
The results of this study showed the job-centered vocational education on the life attitudes, self-efficacy, and employment retention of high school students with intellectual disabilities were effective This shows the field-oriented vocational education for students with intellectual disabilities is successful in raising the students' job aspiration and in improving job performance.