Overview: WRP

The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Diversity Management & Equal Opportunity (ODMEO) manage the program, which continues to be successful with the participation of many other federal agencies and sub-agencies. Since the program's expansion in 1995, over 6,000 students and recent graduates have received temporary and permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.

In the fall of 2011, 100 recruiters from over 40 federal agencies and sub-agencies visited over 270 college and university campuses nationwide, resulting in a database containing application information on more than 2,200 candidates with disabilities. The candidates represent all majors, and range from college freshmen to graduate students and law students. This database is currently available for use by federal employers. During the summer of 2011 over 580 candidates were reported as being hired, the majority in summer jobs, in 40 different agencies and sub-agencies.

 

Longwood University:

The Office of Disability Resources partners with the Academic and Career Advising Center to bring this exciting program to campus. In late August students begin registering to participate in the program. During the Fall semester students will put together a resume and participate in a on-campus interview with a federal recruiter. The students information is then logged into the WRP database. Countless federal employers and private agencies can access the students resume and interview information to offer employment opportunities.

In the past we have had students secure internship opportunities, summer employment, and even full-time employment through participation in the WRP program. Students are eligible to participate in the program up until 1 year past their graduation date.

Students:

To be eligible for the WRP, candidates must be current, full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a disability, or have graduated within one year of the release of the database each December. For the 2013 WRP release, interviews will be held in the fall of 2012. A candidate who graduated in October, 2011 or later would still be eligible to participate. Candidates must be U.S. citizens. If you are an eligible candidate, share this information with your school's disability services or career services coordinator, and ask him or her to contact the WRP Coordinator at wrp@dol.gov. Please understand that we work directly with college coordinators, and cannot respond to inquiries from individuals.

Additional Resources

Please click here to view available resources regarding employment of people with disabilities. Check back on a regular basis for additional links and resources.

Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities (LEAD) Resources from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:

http://archive.eeoc.gov/initiatives/lead/resources.html

Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP):

http://www.dol.gov/odep/

Disability.gov website: http://www.disability.gov/