Pictured above (L-R): Dr. Temple Grandin, Suzanne Saenz, the Student HireAbility Navigator for Southeast Texas
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Workforce Connects - Empowering Inclusion: Student HireAbility Navigator
The Student HireAbility Navigator Program expands the opportunity for workforce
development to help students with disabilities. The program focuses on students
in their early phase of transitioning to postsecondary education and employment.
The Student HireAbility Navigator serves as a resource to support, expand, and
enhance pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) provided through Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR), partners, and programs in each board area.
In addition to the local Vocational Rehabilitation staff, the Student HireAbility
Navigator engages with workforce business services representatives, school districts,
and community-based organizations to provide technical assistance and ensure information
to help disabled students is readily accessible. For employers, the Navigator works to
help businesses become a more inclusive workplace and helps answer understand how to
better recruit, retain, and accommodate employees with disabilities
Mary Hammon, Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas Executive director stated,
"empowering students with disabilities isn't just about providing opportunities;
it's about fostering a culture where every unique talent contributes to a stronger,
more inclusive workforce."
Suzanne Saenz, the Student HireAbility Navigator for Southeast Texas, also partners
with the Career and Education Outreach Specialists to inform and provide access to
resources focusing on job and career counseling, work-based learning experiences,
internships, workforce readiness training, and self-advocacy. Saenz coordinated the
2023 Inclusion Works event during National Disability Employment Awareness Month
(NDEAM) and secured Dr. Temple Grandin, an internationally recognized author, college
professor, and autism advocate, as the guest speaker for the event. The event was
well attended and included as many as 300 educators, parents, and businesses. At
this event everyone in attendance received a book from Dr. Grandin, filled with
information about inclusivity in the workplace and how to overcome the challenges
of disabilities.
For more information regarding the Student HireAbility Navigator, resources, and
outreach, please contact the board office at
[email protected].
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