In this photo, a flyer is seen for the Workforce Recruitment Day event outside of the UConn Center for Career Development in the Wilbur Cross Building in Storrs, Connecticut on Monday, Oct. 19, 2015. (Grant Zitomer/The Daily Campus)
The Workforce Recruitment Day on Oct. 19 is the closing of an application process for students with disabilities to connect with employers in federal and private sectors.
Full-time undergraduate students with disabilities or recent graduates can seek guidance from the centers to find a job.
The Center for Career Development and the Center for Students with Disabilities works with the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) to place students into permanent or temporary jobs.
Recruiters from the federal government Workforce Recruiter program are assigned to review student applications and resumes. Remote interviews will begin on Oct. 27, according to Nancy Bilmes, the director of the Center for Career Development.
The Workforce Recruitment Program is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Diversity Management & Equal Opportunity.
Over 6,000 students and recent graduates have found temporary or permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.
After students apply to participate in the interviews, the Center for Career Development sends them materials on how to dress and other interview preparation tips, said Nancy Bilmes.
These positions are of both the full-time and internships are open to current students and recent graduates.
There are not many University of Connecticut events specifically tailored for students with disabilities. Those that are, involve referrals are often done through the Center for Students with Disabilities to the Center for Career Development. Laura Evangelista, the liaison for the Center for Students with Disabilities, usually does takes care of referrals.
There are many issues people with disabilities come in with. These issues could be psychiatric, learning, or physical disabilities, said Bilmes.
“It depends on each individual person. Two different people may have the same psychiatric disability, but it’s going to present itself in their own different ways,” Bilmes said. “That’s why it’s important to work individually with the students who have disabilities.”
Walgreen’s was also on campus on Oct. 19 to recruit students for fulltime and internship retail management positions. The company is known for hiring people with disabilities.
The Center for Career Development holds many events throughout the year for the benefit of UConn students and alumni. For example, on Oct. 20, the center is conducting an information session on international internships.
The Center for Students with Disabilities offers other benefits to students, including walk-in hours to request accommodations and free online workshops.
Claire Galvin is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at claire.galvin@uconn.edu.
