Message from Assistant Secretary W. Roy Grizzard
Each year in October we recognize the contributions that individuals with disabilities have made, and continue to make, to the 21st Century workforce. The 2006 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce,” acknowledges the contributions that workers with disabilities can make to America’s share in the global economy.
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, between the years 2004 and 2014, almost 36 million people are expected to leave their occupations and need to be replaced. Further, between 2010 and 2030 the workforce is expected to shrink by 10 percent. Every business that plans to succeed must find ways to meet the challenges of our aging, shrinking labor force. Even now, we are seeing the competition for talent.
Smart businesses know to look for and develop talent. The recipients of the Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award exemplify the smart approach to meeting the challenge. They have tapped into a young and growing talent pool – people with disabilities.
They know that there are more educated and better prepared workers with disabilities than ever before. People with disabilities, including those with the most severe disabilities, have the talents, experiences and creative problem-solving skills for which businesses are recruiting. Workers with disabilities have performance and retention rating comparable to those without disabilities. Workplace accommodations are easy to make and cost effective.
Workers with disabilities are currently contributing their talents to industries ranging from high technology to banking to defense systems. In colleges and universities across the United States, 1.53 million students with disabilities are enrolled in a variety of career fields. They are preparing for the challenges of the future.
This month I call upon all businesses to tap into this important talent pool of potential employees. They are prepared for the challenges of a global workforce, and they can help your business meet global challenges.
