ODEP News Brief - August 17, 2018

August 17, 2018

Employment First Webinars

In addition to the robust technical assistance and training being offered to the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program core states, ODEP has created an Employment First Community of Practice. Open to anyone interested in learning more about Employment First, the program currently has participants from all 50 states. Through the Community of Practice, participants have access to technical assistance resources and policy tools, including monthly webinars facilitated by national leaders in the field of systems reform. An archive of these webinars from 2012-2017 is available on the ODEP website.

• Learn about EFSLMP and view the archived webinars
• Join the EFSLMP CoP

Serving Young Adults

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth published two new profiles featuring workforce development programs serving young adults in California and Virginia as part of its Innovative Strategies online database. Civicorps in Oakland, California, is a high school diploma and job training program for youth ages 18-26, including those with disabilities, who have dropped out of high school and are not connected to the workforce. Civicorps' Environmental Management Social Enterprise provides youth with paid work experience through environmental enhancement and mitigation projects. The Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville, Virginia, operates the Manufacturing Technology Training Program pre-apprenticeship program that prepares young adults with disabilities to pursue apprenticeships and employment in manufacturing.

• Learn about Civicorps
• Learn about Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center
• View more innovative strategies profiles

Accessible Technology Skills Gap

Companies are struggling to fill accessible technology job openings because not enough prospective employees have the necessary skills. Job candidates are graduating from computer science programs and other fields without learning about accessibility in their curricula, or are coming from other companies where they did not gain any experience in the realm of accessible technology. To generate solutions for closing the skills gap, the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology hosted a Think Tank meeting in December 2017. Over 60 participants represented the diverse perspectives of employers, technology developers, universities, and tech users with disabilities. PEAT has used this information to begin taking action on a variety of recommendations.

• Learn about PEAT’s efforts to close the accessible technology skills gap

Kwik Trip Jobs Program

An innovative partnership between the retailer Kwik Trip and the vocational rehabilitation departments in several states is creating job opportunities for people with disabilities. Joalyn Torgerson of KwikTrip wrote “Tapping the Skills of People with Disabilities to Meet Workforce Needs” for the Campaign for Disability Employment’s blog. Kwik Trip created the position of Retail Helper in its stores, and vocational rehabilitation agencies screen applicants to find people with disabilities who have the right skills for the job. The VR also provides ongoing supports for the employees, such as job coaching and assistance with retention. In several stores, Retail Helpers have been promoted to Guest Services Coworkers.

• Read “Tapping the Skills of People with Disabilities to Meet Workforce Needs”

EARN Newsletter Available

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion released its August 9 newsletter. Highlighted in this issue is EARN’s participation in the Industry Liaison Group National Conference, its presentation to entrepreneurs in the Washington D.C., National Capital Region, three new videos about the Americans with Disabilities Act from the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, and more. Wells Fargo is featured in the Employer Spotlight.

• Read the EARN Newsletter

HUD Hiring Fair

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is holding a hiring fair for candidates eligible for non-competitive placement in federal jobs, including individuals with disabilities who have a Schedule A letter, veterans, and Peace Corps and AmeriCorp members. The job fair will be held on August 30 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30p.m. at HUD headquarters, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. Many types of employment opportunities are available and interviews will be conducted on-site. For more information, call 202-402-5959.

• Register for the HUD hiring fair