The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private-sector employers nationwide with college students and graduates with disabilities who wish to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. Candidates in the Workforce Recruitment Program represent all majors and range from college freshmen to graduate-school students. Successful candidates have the opportunity to submit an application and résumé to a database, which employers can use to find and contact them directly about job opportunities up to one year after their enrollment in the program.
Who is eligible to participate in WRP?
To be eligible to participate in the Workforce Recruitment Program, candidates must be current, full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a disability, or have graduated within two and a half years of the December 2020 release of the database. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, be attending or have graduated from a U.S. Department of Education accredited college or university like UConn, and be eligible for the federal Schedule A Hiring Authority for persons with disabilities.
What is Schedule A?
Federal agencies may use Schedule A to hire qualified individuals with disabilities into positions non-competitively without going through the lengthy traditional hiring process. This means that people with disabilities may be hired for a position without having to compete with the general public, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements for Schedule A and are qualified for the positions they are seeking or being considered for.
How to obtain documentation for Schedule A?
To be eligible under Schedule A, candidates must provide the required supporting documentation when it is required by the federal agency considering them for employment. This documentation is known as the Schedule A letter. This letter must indicate that an individual has either an intellectual disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability. However, this letter does not need to include an individual’s specific diagnosis, medical history, or need for an accommodation. This letter can come from one of the following individuals:
– A licensed medical professional, such as a primary care physician, family physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, audiologist, or other specialists
– A licensed Rehabilitation Professional
– Any federal or state-level agency or entity that issues or provides disability benefits, such as the Social Security Administration, the Veteran’s Administration, or other agency
Please visit the Workforce Recruitment Program website to see an example of a Schedule A letter to get a better sense of what the letter should look like when getting ready to submit the appropriate documentation.
What is the interview process for WRP?
Previously, students were required to participate in an informational interview with a WRP recruiter to be considered for the Workforce Recruitment Program. Due to COVID-19, interviews will now only be used to enhance the application process. Interviews take place remotely and are usually conducted via phone. For the current Workforce Recruitment Program cycle, interviews will be held in the fall.
How to begin the application process for WRP?
Student registration and applications for the 2022 cycle of the Workforce Recruitment Program will be open on August 21, 2023, and will close on October 12, 2023. UConn students and recent graduates with disabilities who are interested in the Workforce Recruitment Program can reach out directly to the UConn school coordinator, Lisa Famularo, to find out more information about the program. You can email Lisa at lisa.famularo@uconn.edu.
To get started on your application, head to the Workforce Recruitment Program website and click the Student Registration button.
