Derek >> Good afternoon and welcome to today’s Ticket to Work Webinar.  Expanding Your Job Search with Ticket to Work.  My Name is Derek Shields and I am a member of the Ticket to Work Program Manager Team. I’ll serve today as both a moderator and a presenter. Thank you for joining us to learn about Social Security disability benefits, the Ticket to Work Program, and Expanding Your Job Search through some specific programs we’ll be talking about.

   This topic can help you as you start or expand your path to financial independence through work. Each of us has our own journey and we hope you will find some information today that will help you on your path, or perhaps your expanded path, to employment. Let's get started by reviewing some of the functions of this Adobe connect platform. First, in accessing this webinar, you can manage your audio using the audio option at the top of your screen. The audio option looks a bit like a speaker, and you can choose select speaker from the menu options as noted in the device speaker image that is now on the screen. Next, please know that all attendees will be muted throughout today's webinar. 

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   Now let's cover some information about webinar accessibility. In the Adobe connect platform, you will notice different boxes on your screen. These boxes are called pods. We have the presentation pod where the slides appear. This is the largest portion of your screen. Below that is an open space. This is a placement for the closed captioning pod which we will talk about in a moment. In the top right corner is the Q&A pod and below that is the web links pod. Let's talk about all of these in a little bit more detail. 

   Oh, but first, let's mention needing assistance while navigating Adobe connect. There is an accessibility user guide. This has a complete list of controls to navigate with different keystrokes. You can access that at the Accessibility User Guide link. This is also going to appear in the web links pod. Or is at http://bit.ly/adobe-accessibility. Check that out. You will also be in the web links chat which will be populated shortly. 

   Next, real-time captioning is available and is available through what we call the captioning pod. That is the CC at the top of your screen, not too far away from the speaker icon. You are able to show or hide the captioning display and you can also choose the text size and text color combinations that really work best for your preferences. Go ahead and open the closed captioning by selecting the CC option in the captioning link. It will then be accessed in the web links pod under web links captioning. You can also access captioning online through a separate link. That is a choice for you to make.

   If you're fluent in American Sign Language and would like support during this webinar, please use the ASL User Guide. This is also going to be available in the web links pod. If you follow that link, you can find out how to connect with the service through the Federal Communications Commission Video Relay Service. The ASL User Guide can also be found in the web links pod under the title ASL User Guide. Our team is populating that right now. 

   We are here today to answer your questions you may have about the Ticket to Work program. Please send your questions to us anytime throughout the webinar by typing them into the Q&A pod. We will then direct those questions to our speaker. We will be addressing questions at two different points so please send us your questions and we will collect those and answer as many as possible. 

   If you’re listening by phone and not logged into the webinar, please submit your questions by emailing us at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. There's another available resource we think you'll find helpful, and it is the web links pod I mentioned. Our team is now populated with our first link, choose work to get to work. This pod will have links to resources that will be referenced throughout the presentation. To access the resources, select the topic of interest, access that to learn more. If you're listening by phone, or not logged in, you may email webinars@choosework.ssa.gov for a list of these available resources. Or you can reference your confirmation email that has those available resources in it. Also, please note that Social Security cannot guarantee and is not responsible for the accessibility of external websites.

   Today's webinar is being recorded. A copy will be available within two weeks on the Choose Work website. That link is http://bit.ly/WISEOnDemand. This link will be available as well through the web links pod and it is titled WISE webinar archives. We hope that everyone has a great experience today. However, if you experience any technical difficulties during the webinar, please use the Q&A pod to send us a message where you may email us at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 

   Okay, as I mentioned at the start, my name is Derek Shields. I'm a member of the Ticket to Work team. We're delighted to have with us, Ray Cebula. Ray and I will both present and moderate. He received his Law degree from the University of New Hampshire’s Franklin Pierce School of Law. He provided 23 years of legal services to individuals with disabilities through interactions with Social Security. He became part of Cornell University’s Work Incentive Support Center. In 2005 he joined the staff of Cornell Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. He now serves as the Program Director of YTIOnine, Cornell’s Work Incentive Practitioner Credentialing Program.  And now It is my pleasure to welcome Ray to review our agenda and objectives. Over to you, Ray!  

Ray >> Thank you, Derek. Today, we are going to talk about Social Security’s Ticket to Work program. Hopefully, we will answer some questions you may have related to that Ticket to Work program. Your employment team, section five requirements for federal contractors, federal employment under Schedule A, as well as apprenticeships. Our objectives today and the webinar will help you better understand how the Ticket Program works. You'll get to know the players on your employment team, how to understand how Section 503 opens opportunities for you when you return to work, identify how Schedule A can help you in your job search and know if apprenticeship is right for you. Apprenticeships are really, really great things. Become familiar with additional job search resources that are available to you. They very much provide a great start for your return to work. 

   I am going to move us into the Ticket to Work program and supporting your journey to work. As always, we have to start with the Social Security Administration’s disability programs. There are two of them. The first being the Social Security disability insurance program. It is pretty much just what I said. It is an insurance program. You become eligible by working and paying FICA taxes into the system for a period of time. The benefits are based upon your earnings history. Everyone is going to have a different benefit. There is a great set of Work Incentives that applies to this program. SSI, supplemental security income, is a needs-based federal program. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. The disability standards for both of these programs are the same, but the requirements are not. You could have a limited work history or just be short of being eligible for SSDI and you would likely be eligible for SSI. Remember, I said it is needs-based, so we have a program that is going to consider your other income and resources before you would be found eligible for that program. 

   So starting the journey to work. This is a big decision. And you are the only one who can decide for yourself whether or not work is the right choice for you. Your employment team can give you information to help you make that choice. Ultimately, this is your choice. Signing up for a Social Security account, a my Social Security, is a great thing. I just checked mine this morning. And I am on it quite regularly to find out if everything is up to date. What might happen if I were to retire today? What might happen if I became disabled today? How much money would my family receive if I were a recipient? I noticed some of the questions you were all asking. How do you track your wages? How do you make sure Social Security knows your wages? 

   Setting up a my Social Security account is a great tool for you. We all just finish the work here. I checked this morning to make sure that 2002 wages were in my account. They are. I found out today. They have made it into my account. So I can begin planning. It also provides you with a statement. What if I retire today? It told me exactly how much I would get, if I added a spouse. It told me what my spouse would receive. And also that if I wait until I am 70, what I would receive and what my spouse would receive. Tons of good information. As you begin to go into the workforce and making some benefits planning information to see what is going to happen to your benefits, this account is going to provide your planner with some really basic information to start talking with you and to start that plan. So take a few minutes and set it up. There will be a lot more information about your benefits than you possibly could imagine. 
   So why choose work? Yeah, we all sort of have that model out in the world where you get a job. Well, that's not possible for everybody. And it might very well be a good choice for you. You just need to have information. Once you understand the free services and supports that become available to you as you are re-entering the workforce, and to help you make that decision to do that, most people find out that the risks are far outweighed by the services and rewards. 
   
   There is a lot of incredible information that we can use to help you make that decision. Once again, we are not expecting everybody to go to work full-time and to get off the benefits because of the nature of the business. It is going to depend upon you and the facts that surround you.
   
    What is Ticket to Work? Ticket to Work started back in 2000. That is when things began to ramp up. It is a free and voluntary Social Security program. You do not have to participate. You do not have to participate in the Ticket Program in order to take advantage of Work Incentives. Ticket program provides you with another umbrella of services that are certainly not going to hurt, they are only going to help you make progress. Career developments, that is what we are talking about here. The Ticket allows you to get some career development services if you are aged 18 through 64 and receive disability benefits from Social Security. As long as you get a cash benefit coming in, you are likely going to be eligible to participate in this program. The Ticket to Work connects you with free employment services. 
   
   Again, you start off with is work the right decision for you? I will give you some information that is going to show you what the end result is of working 20 hours a week, 30 hours a week, or 40 hours a week. Preparing you for that work, maybe you can't go back to a job you have had in the past, maybe you can. If you can't, how do we get you prepared for a different job? One that could be some educational pursuits. It could be some training. 
   
   How about finding a job? One of your team members, the Employment Network, they can be local agencies in your town or city. They have their finger on the job market. They know who is hiring, when they are hiring and what jobs are available. That is a great partner to have when you are beginning your job search. 
   
   This last bullet is incredibly important. We don't want to get you the job and just leave. We want you to succeed. So we can give you on-the-job supports that you may need to make your transition from a disability recipient to a worker with a disability success story. We want folks to take the time they need to get used to this new world of work or their renewed work. This is so they can succeed at work. 
   
   How does this Ticket Program work? If you decide to make that choice to participate, you can receive services from an authorized Ticket to Work service provider. They are Employment Networks, your state Vocational Rehabilitation agency, and Workforce centers. They are all Employment Networks in this process. They can help you activate that ticket and get the benefits from using that ticket. 
   Now Employment Networks are private or public organizations that have an agreement with Social Security to provide free employment services. We mentioned some of those: free resume writing, free job placement services, free information about interviews that might be available for you if you're eligible for the program. That eligibility is 18 through 64, receiving a cash benefit and have the desire to consider work. 
   
   Many of the state public Workforce systems, such as the American job centers are Workforce ENs. Those workforce ENs are pretty great. They can give you access to a computer for a period of time. They can help you build resumes and they have their own job banks. You can begin searching. It is a great place to start out if you are not sure. Go to the American job centers and get connected on one of their computers. Begin to search for information. There is a lot out there from the Ticket to Work site. You can begin to make that decision before you contact anybody. That might be enough just to let you think, okay, I am willing to take a chance with the Ticket to Work. 
   
   So how can we help you with an Employment Network? You can find one and we will give you some tools to help find one a little later that will be customized to you that has shown you they can handle someone with your conditions. They specialize in providing language services in a different language. They will look down this list and they will help you identify your work goals. What job do you want? Is your job goal something that requires some preparation? We can get you through that preparation. How about writing a resume? I like to tell everybody, the last resume I did was 23 years ago when I joined Cornell. My guess is, if I wanted a new job now, resumes probably don't look like they did then. I would want some help. 
   
   How about preparing for interviews? That is critical. You need to know what questions you might be asked. You need to know what types of questions are going to provide direct answers to those questions. And you need to know what kind of questions you should be asking. Every interview ends with “Do you have a question for us?” It is much better to have questions than simply say, “no, I am all set.” 
   
   How about reasonable accommodations? When do you request those accommodations? What do you need to reveal in order to get those accommodations? How do you have that discussion with your new boss? And then receiving benefits counseling. We will talk about benefits counselors a little bit more. But benefits counseling might be available at the EN you select. That is a great way to figure out what is going to happen to your cash and your healthcare benefits as well as your SNAP and your public housing before you begin working to make sure this all makes sense for you. 
   
   So the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies are big players here. Every state has an agency -- some have particular agencies that assist with blindness and visual impairments. It doesn't matter which one you call, you're going to get a referral to a sector of that agency that is there to help you. And these agencies are providing a wide variety of services to help people with disabilities return to work and enter new lines of work or enter the workforce for the first time. We can help you with vocational training. 
   
   What about rehabilitation services? Let's say I have an amputation of my dominant arm. I need vocational rehabilitation to use my prosthetic. And then to see how I can use that prosthetic to go back to work. That is going to take some time, but VR can help you with all of that so that you can begin to work. 
   
   Training and education. I mentioned somebody earlier may have had a job, suffer from that disability, and then wants to go to work but might not be able to do that particular job. But they want to remain in that field. Maybe some training or educational pursuits could be used to maintain that spot in that work world that you like. Great services can be provided by these people. 
   
   What about Work Incentives? I mentioned that SSDI had a great list of Work Incentives and neglected to say that SSI has an even better set of Work Incentives -- and these rules are what a benefits planner is going to use to show you what the advantages of work are. You can receive training for new skills. That's a good thing. If you're using your ticket, you have another aspect of getting training done. 
   
   How about improving the skills you already have? If you are doing computer work or if you have been out of work for two years, you are probably well behind in the development of computers. They change so often. Maybe you need some education to get caught up. Nothing wrong with that. You can probably find that. Try different jobs. Try Trial Work Period with SSDI. It gives you nine months where you can discover what your capacity for work is, if you're not sure how many hours a day you can work. Or maybe you are not sure what you really want to do, and you want to use that Trial Work Period to try different jobs. 
   
   How about starting a career? Somebody I mentioned in the scenario a little bit earlier. Somebody who wants to stay within a job area that they have already experienced, but they maybe want to work up. And always… get those promotions. Turn that job you have into a real career. Gaining confidence. Most certainly, just entering into the workplace is going to allow you to build confidence. We are there to help with that process and to be in the background, if necessary. To be there if you need us. That is a great thing. But all of this job searching and interviewing, all of it builds your confidence to begin that job. Okay, Derek. Any questions? 

Derek >> Thank you, Ray. This is Derek. I love that ending with a focus on confidence. Yes, we do have some questions. We have a couple about the employment networks that you just reviewed. There are a couple questions around job training. You know, they basically sum up to the Employment Networks you're talking about, do they offer job training?  

Ray >> You know, the Employment Network, it could be Ray's job shopper, it could be a big corporation. They come in all sizes and shapes. When they say we are going to offer training, you know, we may not be the people who will show you how a job is done. We have information on that. But the Work Incentives allow for a period of training. Using that Trial Work Period would allow you to use those nine months to get adjusted. That is on-the-job type training. 

   If you needed something to improve your skills, I mentioned the computer. You haven't been doing computer programming for couple of years. There are probably some new tricks that have been developed. That would be a more formal training. Let's find you a class at a community college or university or some tech school that is going to get your skills updated. That is a different kind of training. Again, the employment network is there to help you find them. It would likely be on-the-job training or some type of educational pursuit that you would then use for that training. I think that would help. Derek? 

Derek >> This is Derek. It sure does, Ray. It really clarifies you can use the Employment Network as part of your employment team to find out what educational credentialing you might need, and they can help you figure out how to access that. So I appreciate that. In the same area, there are some questions we have received around Ticket to Work service providers. Maybe Employment Networks may be the bigger employment team, we have gotten three questions around resume writing and other job search assistance. Where do I go to find a job? So what can the employment team do specifically with these types of preparation and connection to where the jobs are?  

Ray >> Yeah, you know, I think the first thing I want to say is it is a large team, and there is no wrong way here. We mentioned specifically the job networks, the Workforce ENs, the Employment Networks, and beyond. Any of those agencies might be able to help you. It could be a combination of agencies if you want to. 

   The EN is a really good place to start. That EN is going to be able to talk to you at no cost. You can talk to them and see what they can do for you. You're going to be interviewing them to see if you want to hire them to provide you with services. And an EN certainly knows where the jobs are. You might not want to find a national company. You might want to find a smaller, more personal EN shop in your area. How many people have you put to work who have circumstances like me? Are you able to update my resume? There's always that big question. Are you able to help me fill the gap when I was out on disability? What do I say about those three years? And that is something they can help you do. They will also give you some practice interviews. It's not until you feel ready after you have done some practice interviewing and after you have done some discussion with two or three ENs to find out who you're going to be most comfortable with, that you will then begin to do the actual job search.
   
   You're going to know pretty much ahead of time what people can be offering you. Whoever is going to give you the best deal, just like a gift card to the mall. Who’s going to give you the best deal for your trouble and who’s going to be there when you need them? You can talk to Sears and Roebuck's, you can talk to the Hallmark store. See what the best fit is for you. 
   
   And then we talked about getting out there… the actual job interviews after we have done all of that. You can reach out to a benefits planner. You can reach out to the state agencies. It is likely that any of your team members will talk to about it, but they will then refer you to another team member to actually have those services put together. 

Derek >> Thank you, Ray. This is Derek speaking again. I appreciate those responses and want to repeat what you said. There is no wrong front door. A lot of options on the employment team. What we are understanding is that building your employment team allows you to start exploring what is available as folks expand their job search. 
   
   Speaking of that, I'm going to move us forward so we can get through our content today. I am now going to take over the presentation and will be back with Ray at our next break to answer more questions, so keep them coming in please. 
   
   When we think about expanding our job search, we have talked about covering some specific areas or programs. Today we are going to focus in on three particular ways you can expand your job search. The first one we are going to review is called section 503. We are really looking at the idea of how to explore employment with the federal contracting community.
   
   If you're not familiar with it, if you haven't heard of section 503, it is important we describe so you know what it is. It is part of something called the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. That is designed to create job opportunities and jobs themselves for people with disabilities. In doing this, it prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors that are working in these big contracts from discrimination against people with disabilities. 
   
   It requires affirmative action. These are proactive, positive steps to recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention of people with disabilities. If you aren’t familiar with who contractors are, and how this gets applied, this applies to those providing goods or services to the United States federal gov. And under section 503, this applies to businesses with 50 or more employees that have business with the government and have to affirmatively take proactive steps to do those things we talked about: Hiring, training, promoting and retaining. 
   
   I’d like to cover them a little more deeply so you think about not only why employers are compliant, but how they might address this. Specifically, Section 503 came back out in its current format in 2014. It has been in place for eight years. It has helped to build better relationships between federal contracting companies and other entities that have contracts with the government as talent sourcing partners with these employment service providers. So if you have to recruit, hire, and train as a federal contractor because of this, then you have to find out where the talent with disabilities is. 
   
   For 8 years, we have been building better relationships between these employers in the employment team. Remember that team Ray covered? State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies? The Workforce system entities? Those Employment Networks? They are all talent sourcing partners that have created better relationships with federal contractors because of Section 503. 
   
   When we think of training, promotion, and retention, you should know that the idea of just getting in for a job isn't what the goal is but it’s a career. So you have the opportunity to receive learning and development and advance in those careers. So Section 503 is doing good things in the talent sourcing relationships, but also in the notion of learning development and advancement for careers, not just jobs. So this is why I like to review with you, how to expand your job search with federal contractors. 
   
   The 503 provisions are going to allow you to do something called voluntary self-identification. This allows you to as a person, identify as a disabled individual before being offered a job. Yes, I said voluntarily. So, this is your choice. But if you do want to disclose and self-identify, it allows you to connect with those talent sourcing partners. Those talent sourcing partners will present candidates to the federal contractors, just like an Employment Network could. That fellow contractor could work with the Employment Network and say, “I have these open positions, do you have anyone that is working with you that qualify?” That is an important opportunity where you could self-identify during an opportunity application. Then again, at the point of offer, and then again every five years. 
   
   Section 503 does require contractors to refresh their self I.D. campaigns and serve their population every five years. It is also important to note that this information is kept separate from the personnel record. It is only a very small group of people that would have access to the self-identification information. And then you could use that to build a relationship and access those interviews. 
   
   Now you might like much of what I am describing, or you might be a little unsure if you really want to participate in the self I.D. opportunity or fill out a form. You just need to focus it’s your right to disclose or not to disclose and if you do, that disclosure is different than self I.D. You can fill out a form and individuals in the hiring process don't have to know about your disability. 
   
   So there are two different things. Think of self I.D. as checking a box and disclosure is you talking about your disability. So you could have these options available to you at your comfort level. Section 503 also encourages federal contractors to make an effort to ensure at least 7% of their employees are qualified individuals with disabilities. This isn’t a hiring requirement, but it is a way to ensure that federal contractors include disability in the recruitment and hiring criteria. 
   
   We have seen great advancements. I would like to give you one example. So when contractors plan to address how they are going to reach the 7% utilization goal, they set up partnerships. We are going to partner with employment networks and partner with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to get candidates with disabilities coming into us. One company that has done this for a long time is Microsoft. They currently have a self-identification rate that’s 7.8% of its workforce in the United States. That was in 2022. In 2021, it was 7.1% and 2020, it was 6.1%. So for three years they’ve been working toward that goal. They have achieved it and surpassed it and they have to set a new goal. So it is working and is working for companies also. If you're looking for employment and have a disability, we really want you to consider expanding your job search and thinking about federal contractors for employment. 
   
   We always have these success stories and Ray likes to cover these and I do too. Today, we have Angel’s story. Angels suffered from a head and back injury after serving two tours of duty in the United States Air Force. After a few years of some setbacks, Angel decided he was ready to consider work. When he learned from a friend that a federal contractor had an opening for hiring I.T. professionals, information technology, that matched his experience. So he inquired and a fellow contractor wanted to take those affirmative action steps and hired him as part of their section 503 plan, but also to get his skills sets. 
   
   As you recall, he served two tours of duty, and he had a lot of skills. So he wanted to do that, but before he did, he wanted to be sure that he could proceed with the defense contractor and not jeopardize his benefits and didn't really understand how the whole process worked. So he reached out to the Ticket to Work helpline to get answers. That is what led Angel to work with an Employment Network where he also received benefits counseling that Ray talked about. With that in place, he had the confidence to transition to work and he actually requested reasonable accommodations that help him succeed then and still today. 
   
   He is happy with his job supporting the Defense Department. He is working with military peers and using problem-solving skills and the teamwork skills he acquired from the Air Force. There is a link here and in the web links pod to read Angel's entire success story. What we have done is brought a quote here. We asked him what he thought about his experience. He said, "being back at work has had a positive impact in so many areas of my life. I have been able to show my children the rewards that can go with perseverance and resilience. The job has helped me build confidence, maintain good mental health, and regain a sense of accomplishment, all vital for the next chapter in our lives." 
   
   So that is really a fantastic story, and we appreciate Angel letting us share his story and his family's stories. When you think about federal contractors and you think about Angel's success, I would encourage you to think about the approximately 3.7 million federal contracting jobs that are out there and knowing that it’s growing. When you are thinking of employment opportunities, think of section 503 and think of 3.7 million jobs out there. There just might be one for you.
   
   Next, let's turn to talk about our second area for expanding the job search. We talked about federal contractors, but now let's talk about federal service, federal employment and what is known as the Schedule A hiring authority. If you are not familiar with Schedule A, and you’re a person with a disability, you should know this is a great process where you can apply and compete for any federal government job through Schedule A. You can do that in a noncompetitive process. So it is something to understand. You may be eligible for the Schedule A scheduling authority. 
   Let’s say you were already working with an Employment Network where you have a ticket and you assign it to an Employment Network. Well, that is going to say that you have a disability, and you would be eligible. We are going to talk about how you can use that eligibility, specifically Schedule A refers to this hiring authority that allows federal agencies, which we are talking about large employers like the Social Security Administration, and these other cabinet level agencies like the agriculture, labor, and defense departments. It includes smaller agencies too. But it gives him the authority to use an optional way of hiring people; those with disabilities through an exception to the traditional, competitive hiring process. 
   
   You can apply for a job using Schedule A if you are a person with an intellectual, severe physical, or psychiatric disability. So, this is a big umbrella of our community of disabled individuals, and you can consider expanding your search to federal service and federal employment. So, what are those requirements? Let's explore them a little bit more so you are more familiar with them. 
   
   Specifically, you have to be eligible and provide a proof of disability. So, we talked about that. You know, you can go to your doctor or a licensed medical professional to acquire a proof of disability. And we have simple Schedule A letters as a link in this slide deck. It is also available in the Web Links pod. That is item number 10 there. You can select that to get an example. You can actually take that example with you to your medical professional. However, you can also contact a licensed Vocational Rehabilitation specialist or this employment team that you are connected to can assist in that. These can often be federal, state, or local agencies that will provide disability benefits. Once you have that letter, now you will need to find the next job that you are seeking that you qualify for. 
   
   Let's move forward in the process. How do you find what federal jobs are available? To discover a federal opportunity, we recommend checking out USAJOBS. Again, this link is on the slide, and it is also in the web links pod. It is a fantastic resource to have a look at the particular job announcements across all federal agencies that are utilizing the tool. You can look for position types. You can look based on location. Importantly, you can even filter jobs that are selected and tagged for individuals with disabilities. There is the wheelchair icon there. 
   
   So, I searched for a position last night, just to see what was currently in USAJOBS. I looked up project assistant positions and I found 30 that were tagged as eligible for individuals with disabilities, meaning this Schedule A hiring authority could be used. There were a variety of agencies from the Internal Revenue Service to the veterans’ health ministration. And these positions were from Maine to California, across the country in different locations. I found one in office automation project assistant for the Army Corps of Engineers. It happens to close tomorrow in the Sacramento District of California. A great opportunity for somebody looking to get into federal service as a project assistant. 
   
   So, if you're interested in working with the government, first, get the letter, then you identify as an open position that you want to apply for. You have those two steps. Let's go to the next step. Once you have those two in mind, you should also know about the selective placement program coordinators. These are the SPPC. They help agencies in this work of disability employment. Recruitment, hiring, and accommodations for people with disabilities. 
   
   So, I’ve worked with these coordinators in the past and some of their colleagues. They really have some key roles in helping people with disabilities get information about current job opportunities, the types of jobs the agency has, and working to build those talent sourcing pipelines. They are advocates internally for using Schedule A hiring authority. But if you don't know about them, then they are not part of your employment team. 
   
   So think about everybody Ray described. If you expand your job search and you are looking at the federal sector, you want to bring in these selective placement program coordinators as part of your employment team. We have a link here to the coordinator directory. 
   
   Amazingly, anyone can access this directory and find out who is available that you can talk to about employment with a specific agency through Schedule A. I happened to be in Maryland. So I looked up Maryland last night. In the Directory, I found 15 special placement program coordinators from seven different agencies. Well in our area of Maryland, there are a lot of federal employers nearby, so I expected to find them. But not only did I find their contact information, I had their name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. If I'm expanding my job search for federal employment, I'm putting those coordinators on my team and I’m going to reach out to them and say who I am, and how can I get my resume to them so they can, in turn, help get my resume in front of a hiring manager.
   
   One of the interesting parts of the Schedule A hiring authority is that it reduces the time to onboard a new federal employee. The competitive process can take months and months sometimes whereas Schedule A can literally take a shorter amount of time. I have heard one month is kind of a good record. So that is something to consider. Get those folks on your team. 
   
   So what are the next steps? If you're interested in Schedule A, get the letter, update your resume with your skills, abilities, and references. Like Ray said, that’s something you can work with your Employment Network on. The Employment Network can help with outreach to the coordinator, or you can do it, like I said. 
   
   If you are still unsure, you’re like, “Well, I don't know. I need to talk to somebody before I leap in,” what we recommend you doing is contacting the Ticket to Work helpline. I will give you those numbers right now. You can talk to someone at the helpline at 1-866-968-7842 or for TY users at 1-866-833-2967. They can assist you with providing a list of Employment Networks in your area that will then help with that resume effort once you determine who you want to select to work with. And if you're not sure, that is a good place to start. There is no wrong door, but if you're not sure which one to start with, we really encourage you to go there. You can also use the Find Help tool which is available to you as well. We will talk a little bit more about that a little bit later. 
   
   So those are the coordinators and for this section, we wanted to share another success story with you. This story is about Jesus. He had the opportunity to leverage Schedule A. We wanted to call out his success. He was born with spina bifida and spent most of his childhood using a wheelchair or crutches. 
   
   However, with the help of his Ticket to Work Employment Network, he received benefits counseling and Work Incentive information and created his Individual Work Plan. That was his road map. How am I going to get from here wanting to work to actually working to having a career? And with that, he had a work plan in place and started to do some of the activities like resume writing and job lead support. That helped in his transition. 
   
   So since Jesus qualified for the Schedule A, this would allow that federal agency to avoid that long competitive hiring process. You can find Jesus’s success story through the web links pod in that link. So what is key about this is he found federal employment as a service representative. He has been successfully employed now since 2016. We have a picture of Jesus at his workstation as a service representative. 
   
   He had this to say about his experience, “Work has helped me expand my social circles and my support network as well. I'm very happy knowing that I can be independent, achieve the goals I set for myself, and I am more confident every day. The Ticket to Work program… the help I received through it… helped me find my way to work at my own pace, and I'm grateful for that.”
   
   We are grateful for Jesus for working through an expanded job search process to acquire federal employment and for his service as a service representative. He enjoys his work, it’s pretty clear. This is a great Ticket to Work and Schedule A success story. We encourage you to expand your job search like Jesus did. 
   
   Okay, that is our second area. And now we are going to turn to our third area of focus. This is going to discuss apprenticeships. Perhaps this is an area you are not as familiar with. But when considering expanding or renewing your job search and thinking about different opportunities, I want you to be aware of apprenticeship programs. They allow you to get paid by gained work experience. That sounds like a great opportunity, and it is real. You can get work experience, classroom instruction, and credentials that all employers like to see. If you aren’t familiar with them, they combine the development of what we call theoretical knowledge. That is regarding a specific occupation or range of occupations with the practical experience that is gained by actually doing the job. 
   
   In other words, you can get the hands-on experience while also learning why things are done the way things are done. You know, I call this learn while you earn. It means that you start an apprenticeship as an employee. And then you get the credentials to fill the employer's needs long-term. So this is a great opportunity for considering switching to a new field. Or perhaps you are starting your employment journey and need to acquire new certification or knowledge. It is really key that you know the real jobs. They allow you to learn and earn. They are available in so many fields: manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, hospitality and it goes on and on. 
   
   And according to our colleagues at apprenticeship.gov, 92% of apprentices retain employment after completing their apprenticeship. There is a lot more available on this in our web links pod at apprenticeship.gov. I encourage you to check out through the listing. It is item number 17. We also have a blog post, “Why should I consider apprenticeship?” If you want to explore it, I encourage you to do so. 
   
   I really enjoyed visiting their website and encourage you to check out apprenticeship.gov. I went there last night, and I said I'm going to look for what opportunities exist, so I searched under mechanic. There is a need for mechanics. I found 500 opportunities across the country that were loaded into the system. I was like, that’s a lot I’m going to filter down to Maryland. I found 68 results within between 10 to 20 miles of me. So then I was like, let me try something else. I put in pharmacy technician. The reason I did this, there is a huge shortage in our country of pharmacy technicians. I'm familiar with that. I was like, let me see what is available. So again, over 500 options nationwide, because that is what they cap at. But when I looked in Maryland, I noticed that there were 8 options with Walgreens within eight miles of me. There are a lot of Walgreens within my area, but there were a lot of openings for the apprenticeship program. What I noticed in the position description, is they do not require an associate degree to qualify for the pharmacy technician program. They listed the preferred qualification of six-month’s retail experience. Also needed reading and math skills. Of course, those are important to be a pharmacy technician to make sure you're getting accurate prescriptions to customers. So I thought you would be interested in that and I encourage you to explore apprenticeship.gov. 
   
   What is the value of the apprenticeship? When you think of that pharmacy example, this is a way into a field that has shortages. You can also do it in a lot of other sectors. Maybe you want to be an apprentice to be a chef or in construction, or an electrician. Or in plumbing or a mechanic, as I said. There even apprenticeship options for positions in the theater and arts. It is really a great way to break into the space that you are interested in. 
   
   Again, maybe expanding the search through apprenticeships will find that pathway you have been searching for. So, these are paid jobs. If you expand your search to include it, you will also go on something you will enjoy. Fewer interviews. The experience through an apprenticeship to start is much shorter than the average application and interview experience for regular employment. So, if you are not one for the interview game and you would like to get going inside of work, you can consider apprenticeships. It is a great plus. You can also leverage the opportunities to advance. If you’re already in position, you might be able to leverage an apprenticeship to get more credentials. You are really looking at a great deal of value here and it should help you think about those possibilities of expanding your search. 
   
   Next, I would like to briefly cover the educational benefits of apprenticeships. Likely, you are starting to get the idea that this is how we learn on the job and acquire credential downstream and transitioning from an apprentice to a full-time employee with that employer. However, you can gain both a job specific and transferable skills and you can also use the apprenticeship as a pathway to a college degree or into college to get college credit. So, I was really surprised to read about this Walgreens pharmacy technician program. You can go through it and at the end of it, have acquired college credits. And Walgreens puts that right on their position description. So, if you're in the process of looking for work and are interested in obtaining a college degree, an apprenticeship program is a way to do both. You are earning money, you are learning toward your degree, and you are getting the benefits of both of those experiences. It is definitely worth the research in terms of expanding your job search. Okay, Ray. We went through a lot of content there with the three different areas for expanding your search. We are going to pause here and take some questions. 

Ray >> You sure did there. Thank you. Some of those were pretty exciting too. Let's start with 503 for the discussion. How can I find these opportunities with federal contractors and subcontractors?  

Derek >> Thank you, Ray. This is Derek again. When you are looking for a directory, there is different ways of going about that. There are some locations where you can go to an association of federal contractors. We frequently partner with one called Direct Employers Association. They can point you to a lot of them. Another great way is the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies have good partnerships with a lot of federal contractors as well. And some Employment Networks have established those too. 

   So you can look online, you can use your employment team, and you can also do one other thing. If you really have an interest in a specific federal contractor, you can look on their website and explore if they have a disability inclusion employment program. So, if you can find that, then you could go back to your employment team and say, could you help me connect to that section 503 federal contractor? I see on their website it says they are looking to affirmatively recruit and hire. I think I would be a good fit there. Those are some options. What is important, kind of like we said before, if you want to work with federal contractors, there is no wrong door. It’s starting a conversation with one of your trusted employment team members.  

Ray >> Okay, thank you, Derek, for that information. Another question on 503. Do I need to disclose my disability during the interview process, or can I accept that job before I tell my new employer about my disability?  

Derek >> This is Derek. That is a great question. There is no requirement to disclose your disability at any point. It is a personal choice. The employer in that case wouldn't know. So they wouldn’t be leveraging any of their section 503 recruitment and placement model. But you can go through the employment experience without disclosing and requesting reasonable accommodation. You could be offered and onboarded and then down the road, you can choose to disclose, if that feels right. What could be asked of you during the process is, explain how you will perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation? So if you need a reasonable accommodation, that would be a time to likely disclose. If you don't, then there is no need to, and you can choose to proceed. If the company does a Self I.D. campaign after you are hired, remember, we talked about that requirement every five years. You could choose to participate in that. Remember, that is checking the box. Your supervisor won't know if you check the box that you have a disability. Because you never disclosed it, you can continue to work without disclosing it to that employer. 

Ray >> Okay, Derek. Thank you so much for that. That is helpful. Let's move on to Schedule A. The first question is, how do I know if I qualify for that?  

Derek >> That is a good question. When we think back… This is Derek speaking again. You know, if you meet the qualifications for the job you are interested in, that is first and foremost. We don't want to be expanding our job search into areas that we won't qualify. Like I don't have the knowledge, skills, or abilities to work in, let's say, a NASA lab. I don't have the background. It is not my career track. So, we have to qualify for the job first. But if we qualify for the job, then we also to participate in Schedule A, we need to have a disability. That disability needs to be documented. So you have to, you know, work with a medical professional or others to get that letter. But if you have the job qualifications and the Schedule A letter, then you are going to be able to qualify. 

   There are some folks that basically prequalified. So if you are receiving state disability benefits or Social Security disability benefits, like SSDI and SSI, that means you're going to qualify. That also means somebody if is receiving veterans’ disability benefits, they can qualify. Or if you have had services from the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies we talked about. All these things prequalify you. You just have to get the package together with that letter. For those of you that might be younger and are coming out of school and you had an individualized education plan, an IEP. Or perhaps, section 504 plan, those items come through the Americans with disabilities act, they would help you qualify for Schedule A. 
   
   So the short answer is, there are a lot of people that qualify for Schedule A. It continues to be one of the better secrets and so we try to increase awareness of these programs because they are great opportunities. I have had a lot of friends that have become federal civil servants through Schedule A. And have transitioned into permanent employment through the program. I highly recommend it. 

Ray >> That's great information, Derek. Thank you. I guess this is the ultimate question. If I qualify for Schedule A and I apply for a job, is it guaranteed I will get that job?  

Derek >> This is Derek. No, it is not guaranteed. But it is an opportunity if you use the coordinator in the process, placement coordinator, to meet and establish a relationship to find you qualify. You are going to have a likeliness for success in the position. It allows you to take that path and develop the relationships. There are no guarantees here. But it does allow you to so-called get your foot in the door for that interview opportunity and avoid the more complicated, competitive hiring process. Sometimes, we hear that people submit their resumes and there is no response. Here, you are working with people and if they set up an interview, it is because they have done it quickly with you as opposed to through a large portal. 

Ray >> Thank you for clearing that up, Derek. These apprenticeships sound pretty good to me. We have a lot of questions on apprenticeships. The first one being, where can I find these opportunities?  

Derek >> So apprenticeship.gov is the destination of choice. This is Derek again. You know, the website is in the number 17 and 18 and the web links pod. I encourage you to visit and search some of the locations around you. Use that job finder. There is a job seeker, and they have a great job seeker tool. Those are certified by the Department of Labor as qualifying for certain standards. But you can also find other apprenticeship programs that may be others are familiar with at the state level. We encourage you to work with our colleagues over at apprenticeship.gov.  

Ray >> Okay. How long did these apprenticeships usually last? 

Derek >> Well, that's a good question. They vary in length, based on kind of the standards for the field itself. And the learning. Again, they are employment. So, when you start, it is not like you are waiting to be employed, but the length of the apprenticeship period could be extended based on the occupation industry or type of program. 

Ray >> Okay. And what happens when this is done? Will the company hire me for a job once I am finished with that apprenticeship?? 

Derek >> That is the agreement you put in place. You have to fulfill the obligations, but they are doing it because they want access to talent. You are doing it because you want access to employment. It is a contract between the two of you. If you succeed in their program, then they will roll you into permanent employment. 

Ray >> Okay. And if I have an Employment Network, can I talk to them about apprenticeships?  

Derek >> This is Derek. Absolutely. That is a great discussion to have and to learn what they know about apprenticeships. You can bring your ideas about what your goals are and how you want to learn, perhaps, something new through the apprenticeships program to have the career you want. 

Ray >> All great news, Derek. Thank you. I think those apprenticeships are going to get busy real quick. I am ready to turn it over to you now to finish us up.  

Derek >> Thank you, Ray. I appreciate it. This is Derek again. A couple of also taking the next step on the path to employment. We have a variety of job postings and apprenticeship resources for you. And there are a lot of them, so we narrowed it down a little bit. You have your job centers, USA jobs, as I mentioned. Federal agency websites. They use USAJOBS, but they also post their positions on their own website. And then those two apprenticeship.gov resources. These are in the web links pod, and we encourage you to explore those to find the options that will match your interests. 

   If you need help finding a job, we encourage you to access our Find a Job page. It is a good one that is on our web links pod and on our website. We have 22 organizations listed that are ready to support you with your search. They have job boards, resume services, they also include job fairs. Some even have employer directories. A lot of good options that are out there. You can start your job search there. By looking out there, at the possibilities and exploring those service providers as well. 
   
   When you do decide to expand your job search with what you decide is right for you, I encourage you to revisit that Find a Job page. You know? Maybe the time is not right, but maybe bookmark that and then you can explore all of those things that the team has put together. So we also mentioned how to find a service provider. We have this Find Help page or the Find Help tool. This will help you to search for the service provider that is right for you. So you can use the link or go through the web links pod. This will allow you to search for Employment Networks, benefits counselors, the WIPA programs, the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, the Workforce ENs. And along with them we have the protection and advocacy for beneficiaries of Social Security… they are all there. The employment team that Ray recovered earlier, this is that site for you to explore. 
   
   So we encourage you to do that. You can search by Z.I.P. Code or disability type. Languages. If you don't prefer that, if you prefer to talk to a service representative, we encourage you to call the Ticket to Work helpline. I mentioned this before. We have a team that is ready to assist at 1-866-968-7842. Or via TTY at 1-866-833-2967. You know, if you are not sure which door is right, we encourage you to reach out to the helpline. They are going to help you get started on that and expanding your job search process. Speaking of getting started, we have the helpline, we have our website, choosework.ssa.gov, and we also have our contact page at ChooseWork. You can go to the contact page, and you will find more details around how to connect with our social media and subscribe to our blog or stay up to date through our email updates. All of that is at choosework.ssa.gov./contact/index.html. That is under that web links pod as well. And we recommend choosing what is right for you. The helpline, website, or going to the contact page. We have the three ways. You can choose all three. 
   
   So next, to get advice and encouragement and read stories about people who have achieved financial independence with help from the Ticket to Work program, you can opt in to receive our text messages. If you're interested in receiving the text messages from the Ticket to Work program, please text TICKET to 474747. Standard messaging rates may apply. Please text TICKET to 474747 to receive text messages from the Ticket to Work program. 
   
   There is an important note here. If you need to contact Social Security’s Ticket program managed by the Social Security Administration office of employment support, we ask that you do so electronically instead of by postal mail. Our email address is supoort@choosework.ssa.gov. Please remember, do not include personally identifiable information in your email. Personally Identifiable Information or PII is information that could be used to identify a particular person. Examples of PII include your full name, Social Security number, or an email address. 
   
   You may also contact our helpline again ant that toll free number, 1-866-968-7842. Or you could use TTY 1866 833-2967 for that is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. 
   
   We do encourage you to join us for our next WISE webinar, which will be held on Wednesday, March 22nd from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Our topic next month will be “How Will Work Affect My Social Security Disability Benefits.” Registration will be available soon at choosework.ssa.gov./WISE. Or you can contact us at our Ticket to Work helpline. 
   
   Finally, your feedback is very important to us in planning for our future webinars. Please provide your feedback and tell us what you think by taking our survey. You can take the survey via the link that will pop up after the webinar, or you can find the survey link in the web links pod, or you can visit our web link at choosework.ssa.gov/surveys/ WISE. Thank you so much for attending today to learn about the Ticket to Work program and expanding your job search. Please know there are supports and people ready to help in the expansion of your job search. We encourage you to reach out to begin that journey. This concludes today’s webinar.