Attention Colleges and Universities: Work Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

If you work at a college or university career office and are coordinating employment opportunities for your students with disabilities, consider registering for the Workforce Recruitment Program. Managed by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor, the Workforce Recruitment Program is a recruitment and referral program for college students with disabilities. It connects federal and select private-sector employers nationwide with college students, graduate students and recent graduates willing to demonstrate their skills and abilities in the workplace through internships or permanent jobs.

The recruitment and referral program:

• Helps bring new talent into the federal government to fill mission-critical jobs.
• Provides students and recent grads the opportunities to receive career advice through informational interviews with federal employees.
• Provides an opportunity for participating college Career Centers and Disability Services Offices to assist candidates with disabilities in finding employment, and to educate them about job accommodations and the use of the federal government Schedule A Hiring Authority.

Once the college or university you represent is registered, you'll receive access to resources and optional webinars where you can learn more about the WRP, the federal hiring process and preparing students for employment.

Registration is now open! Register your college or university until June 30, 2023, at WRP.gov.

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Do you work with or provide services to college students or graduates who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI)? If so, knowing more about Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program may enable you to help them as they pursue their work goals after graduation.

The Ticket Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, eligible participants can work with Ticket Program service providers, like State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies or Employment Networks (EN), to receive the supports and services they need to pursue work and financial independence.

Ticket Program service providers offer a variety of supports and services to help job seekers with disabilities, ranging from resume writing and interview prep to accommodation requests (during the interview and/or on the job), and continued support once someone has started working. Many service providers also offer benefits counseling through certified Benefits Counselors, who can help people better understand how earning an income will affect their benefits and discover Work Incentives that may help them keep certain benefits during the transitional period.

Getting Started

If you know an eligible student or graduate who could benefit from the Ticket Program, there are two ways to get started.

1. Call the Ticket to Work Help Line: Ticket Program representatives can help callers find answers to their questions about working and their benefits — or even send them a list of service providers that offer the supports and services they need to start or continue their job search or succeed on the job. The Ticket to Work Help Line is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. To connect with a representative, call 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY).
2. Visit the Find Help tool: If one of your eligible students or graduates is ready to start working with a Ticket Program service provider, the Find Help tool can help them find the right one. The Direct Search feature allows users to find service providers by type of provider, location and even services offered. Or the Guided Search feature asks the user a series of questions to help determine what kind of service provider may fit the user's needs.

Staying Connected Find us on social media to find more information and resources to share with the people you serve. We post updates about the Ticket Program and other Social Security news, and we help our followers discover new resources that may help them find work, request job accommodations, and succeed on the path to financial independence. Share our posts with your followers to help them find the information they're looking for!

• Like us on Facebook: @Choose Work!
• Follow us on Twitter: @ChooseWorkSSA
• Sign up for Ticket Program Texts by texting TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply.
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel