Ticket at 20: Spotlight on Peter
This year, we're celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. Join us, as we recognize the achievements of people featured in our success stories in this blog series!
Meet Peter!
"I turned a hobby into a career," Peter reflects. "As a kid I liked to tinker, build circuits and figure out how mechanical things work. Now I get paid to help people solve their tech problems. I feel lucky that I was able to get a transplant and move forward. My work gives me [a sense of] purpose. It is a privilege to do well while doing good."
Peter was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and started receiving Social Security disability benefits because he was unable to work. Peter ultimately received a kidney transplant. As his health improved, he began to grow restless.
Peter connected with a Ticket to Work service provider, called an Employment Network (EN). That EN, A Ticket to Success, helped Peter understand the Ticket program and other Social Security Work Incentives.
"I'm someone who doesn't quit," he continues. "But re-entering the workforce is tough and you need someone there to help you do it. It's good to know that there are supports we can rely on when the going gets tough…"
Together Peter and his EN developed an Individual Work Plan (IWP), a roadmap that would help him reach his employment goals. An IWP includes long- and short-term career goals and supports like resume writing, benefits counseling and practice interviews. Peter and his EN took a fresh look at the job market in the field of information technology (IT) and revamped his resume.
Peter found work helping a local organization with their IT systems administration. He describes this tentative return to IT as challenging and exhilarating at once. "It was a struggle at first," he recalls. "But sooner than I expected, I realized, 'I can do this' and… that felt great!"
Peter is now a full-time employee, doing what he loves and using his IT skills again. He has achieved a career doing work he loves and gained financial independence with help from Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. Start on your path to success today.
Read Peter's full story and find other success stories!
Find your path to success!
To learn more about the Ticket program, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket program Find Help tool.
