Feature Time Is of the Essence: An Australian Perspective on Transition Preparations for Students with Visual Impairments Natalie Kaine 1,2 , Roger J. Stancliffe 1 , Christine Chapparo 1 , and Anne Honey 1 Unfortunately, it remains a common theme that when students reach the end of second- ary school, they have focused most of their efforts on academic achievement but not on preparations for future employment (Hewett, Douglas, & Keil, 2014; McDonnall, 2010). Important employability skills for students with visual impairments are detailed within the career education area of the expanded core curriculum (Wolffe, 2014); however, these are apparently not prioritized until tran- sition looms. Students, families, and profes- sionals lament “there’s not enough time left now to learn skills; we should have started earlier.” The quality of transition prepara- tions is compromised. Those involved report feeling stressed, regretful, and disappointed. Background Young Australians with visual impairments, like their peers globally, face challenges with employment. It is estimated that 42% of Australians with visual impairments of work- ing age are employed (Vision Australia, 2012), and only an estimated 24% are employed full time (Vision Australia, CNIB Foundation, & Blind Foundation of New Zealand, 2018). There is a sense of urgency among organiza- tions to improve this situation. Best practice recommends commencing transition preparations before secondary school to allow more time (Crudden, 2012; Wolffe, 2014). Will adjusting the timing be enough to make generational change to employment outcomes? What other time constructs may affect transition prepara- tions? Through working within a family- centered, transdisciplinary team at Vision Australia, and as a doctoral candidate with The University of Sydney, the first author has observed the effect of three broader representations of time on transition prepara- tions. These representations engage 1 The University of Sydney, Australia 2 Vision Australia, Sydney, Australia Corresponding author: Natalie Kaine, B.App.Sc. (O.T.) Hons, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Email: nkai0726@uni.sydney.edu.au Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness 2019, Vol. 113(6) 569-572 ª American Foundation for the Blind 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0145482X19890939 journals.sagepub.com/home/jvb