Longview — Workforce Solutions East Texas (WSET) announces its partnership with Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services (TWS-VRS) to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign observed each October. The agencies will host a celebration event in East Texas on Tuesday, October 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Longview Workforce Center located at 1905 W Loop 281, Suite 40. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities.
We invite the public and East Texas employers to join the “Celebrating Value and Talent” themed event and learn about programs that help your business find and train top talent. The event will feature a proclamation from Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara, a discussion with East Texas employers highlighting success stories, as well as exhibits from Employers and Community Resource Organizations.
“At WSET, we are deeply committed to fostering an environment that welcomes all abilities in the workforce. National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a powerful reminder of the immense talent and untapped potential that individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces,” says TWC Business Relations Coordinator, Jacki Everhart-Thompson.” Whether you are an employer seeking to hire individuals with disabilities, an organization championing disability rights, or someone seeking to learn more about TWS-VRS, we invite you to attend our upcoming event.”
WSET partners with TWS-VRS to ensure that individuals with disabilities in our community have access to the array of workforce services we offer. Workforce Solutions staff may refer job seekers with physical or mental disabilities to TWS-VRS to determine the appropriate benefits and eligibility. Workforce Solutions staff may also receive referrals from TWS-VRS for VR customers who may be eligible to receive workforce services such as adult education and literacy services, childcare services, attend career workshops, training, and more. VR staff are often co-located in Workforce Solutions Offices and can provide information about how VR Services may help individuals with disabilities reach their employment goals. Together, our partnership is a win-win for Texans with disabilities seeking employment and for employers seeking to expand diversity and inclusion efforts by making their workforces inclusive of people with disabilities.
The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word “physically” was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and renamed it National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about participating in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways to promote its messages during October and throughout the year by visiting www.dol.gov/NDEAM.