The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private 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 Defense Human Resources Activity’s (DHRA) Diversity Management Operations Center (DMOC) 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, thousands of students and recent graduates have received temporary and permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.
Important note: The Workforce Recruitment Program website has been updated, and now features improved and expanded functionality for all users, including School Coordinators, Recruiters, Students, and Employers. Each group will transition to the new system at different times. Students who are currently part of the 2019 database can continue to log in to their accounts on the legacy system through July 2019. New and current employers will remain on the legacy system through December 2019. User guides and training will be available to facilitate the transition. For questions or concerns, please contact WRP staff at wrp@dol.gov.
Discover What the Database Can Do for You
Additional Resources
Discover What the Database Can Do for You
What Does the Program Offer to Federal Employers?
- Job candidates pre-screened through face-to-face interviews
- Information about each applicant's qualifications
- Search capabilities tailored to specific job requirements
- Access to candidates across the nation, by state or job category
- Flexibility in hiring for summer internships or permanent positions
- Opportunity to identify outstanding candidates for permanent staffing needs
- Freedom to conduct independent interviews after qualified candidates are identified
- Ability to search for candidates who self-identify as Schedule A Eligible and those who are Veterans
Toolkit and Resources
- WRP Database for Federal Employers
- WRP and Pathways Resource Guide
- Understanding WRP and Pathways for ALL Federal Agencies
What Does the Program Offer to Private Sector Employers?
- Private sector employers can take advantage of the program through the AskEARN.org website.
- All WRP job candidates are pre-screened.
- WRP candidates represent a wide variety of majors and are in, or have graduated from, undergraduate, graduate, or law programs.
- WRP candidates are located across the nation.
- WRP candidates may be available for summer internships or permanent positions.
What Does the Program Offer to Colleges and Universities?
The WRP provides a unique opportunity for colleges and universities to
- Tap into a system that has been successfully placing students and recent graduates with disabilities in summer and permanent positions in the public and private sectors for over 15 years, at no cost to the school and candidates.
- Bring together the resources of their disability services, career services, and veteran services offices to promote more effectively the job seeking skills and career readiness of their students and recent graduates with disabilities.
- Provide their students and recent graduates with disabilities a chance to grow personally and professionally through participation in this nationwide program.
The WRP Process
- The WRP is run on an annual basis and requires applicants to have a remote interview (during the fall semester) with one of our recruiters.
- Schools that would like to participate in the WRP must be accredited by one of the accrediting agencies recognized by the US Department of Education, and must provide at least eight eligible candidates for our recruiter to interview.
- Information is sent out each year in the spring to register for our recruitment schedule for the following fall.
- If your school is interested in participating in the WRP please send an email with your contact information to the WRP Coordinator at wrp@dol.gov.
What Does the Program Offer to Eligible Students and Recent Graduates?
The WRP is an excellent way for students and recent graduates with disabilities in all fields of study to
- Market their abilities to a wide variety of potential employers across the United States
- Sharpen their interviewing skills during a required phone interview with a WRP recruiter
- Gain valuable skills, experience, and contacts on the job
- Prove that people with disabilities can be excellent employees
Deadlines
Eligible candidates must contact their WRP Campus Coordinator early in the Spring semester to be considered for inclusion into the WRP. Candidates must follow through with their campus coordinators to ensure successful completion of the online application process and any additional requirements that their campus coordinator has put in place. Phone interviews are conducted in October and early November.
Events
Additional Resources
Learn What the Program Offers to Recruiters
Want to do your part to increase employment of people with disabilities in the federal government? Register to recruit for the Workforce Recruitment Program!
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is the primary pipeline bringing students and recent graduates with disabilities into federal employment and the largest database of Schedule A candidates in the federal government. Each year, WRP recruiters interview over 2,500 talented candidates from 320 schools across the country.
Why Recruit for WRP?
- You will have a personal impact on the hiring of people with disabilities in the federal government.
- You will get a first look at a group of highly motivated candidates that your agency could bring on easily using the Schedule A Hiring Authority for summer jobs, internships or regular full time positions.
- You can choose how many 30-minute phone interviews you wish to do (minimum of 10, maximum of 50).
- Once assigned to a college, you will have three full weeks to complete your phone interviews, and interview timing is completely flexible around your schedule.
- By becoming as a WRP recruiter, you will receive training on accommodations, disability etiquette, and disability disclosure — key knowledge areas that will benefit your agency.
Requirements
You must:
- Agree to conduct a minimum of 10 30-minute phone interviews (5 hours), write interview notes for each student, and submit into the WRP database.
- Be a federal employee at the GS-9 level or above.
- Complete a 1 hour online training and complete a short quiz by mid-August.
- Submit required paperwork and receive permission from your supervisor.
- Have availability during recruitment season in October and November.
Take the time to register now! Go to www.wrp.gov.