PAES Lab

Welcome to the PAES Lab!

Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES,) is a simulated work assessment and hands-on curriculum lab where students learn by doing in a structured environment.  In the lab, students explore the following five career field areas: business/marketing, computer/technology, construction/industrial, processing/production, and consumer service. Students complete tasks using real tools and equipment. These tasks start at a basic level and build in complexity as the student's skills increase. The lab simulates a real-world work environment so students become employees and teachers become supervisors when they walk through the door. Employees clock in on a computer and we give them job tasks. We expect them to communicate professionally, learn and follow safety procedures, solve problems, stay on task, and much more to be good at their jobs. The PAES lab allows students to experience and practice job skills that help prepare them for the world of work as well as assist them in finding direction for their desired career paths.

PAES is a formal exploratory assessment, which means that students will explore different career fields and we will assess their work quality, work speed, professionalism and behavior, endurance, problem-solving skills, level of independence, ability to follow directions, communication with others, and other important performance aspects. We collect this information to show areas of student strength, highlight opportunities for improvement, determine appropriate accommodations and assistive technology for the workplace, and display employability skills compared to their peers. Students attend one-and-a-half-hour sessions five days a week for one or more semesters and must complete a referral process to participate. This program is open to students of all ability levels.

PAES teaches:

  • Workplace communication patience
  • Work safety
  • Problem solving
  • Directions adherence
  • Record keeping
  • Technical skills
  • Self-advocacy
  • Self-assessment
  • Physical endurance
  • On-task behavior and more