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ODEP News Release: [04/12/2006]
Contact Name: Peggy Abrahamson or Melinda Thielen
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Release Number: 06-0663-NAT

College Students With Disabilities Ready for Summer and Full-Time Employment

Labor Department Releases Free Database on CD

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is now offering a free database of 1,900 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and full-time employment. This CD-ROM database can be used by employers to search from a pool of pre-screened applicants from over 45 states and territories who have skills in disciplines ranging from computer sciences and business to communications, engineering, office administration and more.

"The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is an excellent resource of well-educated and highly skilled job candidates for employers to choose from," said Dr. W. Roy Grizzard Jr., assistant secretary for disability employment policy. "The program also offers an opportunity for college students and graduates with disabilities to contribute their talents to organizations large and small."

ODEP, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, is offering the database of job seekers through its Workforce Recruitment Program. The program also fulfills President Bush's New Freedom Initiative pledge to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the nation.

Information about WRP is available by clicking on Workforce Recruitment Program at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employer/recruit_and_hire/recruitment.htm or by calling (202) 693-7880. To request a free copy of the entire WRP database on CD-ROM, send your name, company name and mailing address to wrp@dol.gov.

The Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) is available for employers who have job vacancies and are actively looking to find and recruit qualified workers with disabilities in their localities. EARN is also able to provide support, technical assistance and employee screening for the WRP database CD-ROM. EARN can be reached at 1-866-Earn Now (1-866-327-6669) or by clicking on Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employer/recruit_and_hire/recruitment.htm. More information about ODEP can be found at its Web site at www.dol.gov/odep, and a cross-governmental portal of comprehensive disability-related information can be found at www.DisabilityInfo.gov.