February 2023

2023 Disability Employment Update Now Online

A new report is now available with updates to census and employment data for Floridians with disabilities. This resource includes current information on national and county populations, full- and part-time employment data, occupational and industry concentrations, and more. Click below to download the latest report and evaluate this valuable resource for funding sources, board and staff education, and other ways to improve your organization's operations.

CareerSource Florida Corner: Career and Technical Education Month

Did you know February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month? CTE Month celebrates and highlights the value of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across Florida. Through CareerSource Florida's partnership with Get There, Florida's workforce education initiative that promotes the benefits of career and technical education, we connect students with educational opportunities and in-demand career pathways.

CareerSource Florida is committed to serving all populations with resources and support, including individuals with disabilities. We are ready to help. Explore your options at GetThereFL.com.

Learn More

Shifting Your Focus: Try a Different Approach to Service

From time to time as an employment service provider, you may find yourself with a large number of clients and not enough employers picking up the phone or responding to emails. While this can be frustrating, there may be an alternative approach in these dry spells--shift your perspective from the job-seeker to the employer. Click below for some methods from Leanne Rexford, The Able Trust's Director of Strategic Initiatives, to make a successful pivot.

Learn More

Tell Us Your Stories

By virtue of your organizations' service as the connectors between employers and prospective workers with disabilities, you are uniquely suited to serve as voices of experience and expertise on the subject of accommodations for employees with disabilities. So with that in mind, we want to hear from you.

Take 30 seconds and write to us at info@abletrust.org with one or two of your best stories of accommodations discussions. What questions did the employers have for you? How do you anticipate and alleviate the concerns surrounding accommodations?

Throughout Career and Technical Education Month, many outstanding organizations place additional emphasis on promoting their job and skill training programs for individuals seeking new or better careers, including persons with disabilities. These offerings are extremely helpful in the drive to increase the pool of skilled workers and address Florida's employment shortfall. An additional frame of the discussion, as it pertains to the businesses and industries these newly trained and credentialed prospective workers look to join, is education on accommodations.

We look forward to learning from all of you and sharing your experiences in the aim of better serving the mission of expanding disability-inclusive employment in Florida. Thank you for your insights!

Joey D'Souza

Vice President, External Engagement

Follow The Able Trust on your favorite social networks!

The Able Trust Activities

Project Venture Finals Set for Next Week

Many of you are familiar with The Able Trust's High School High Tech program, which provides high school students with all types of disabilities the opportunity to explore jobs or postsecondary education leading to in-demand careers. An offshoot of HSHT is Project Venture, an extracurricular competition which serves to introduce entrepreneurism and develop soft skills crucial to the workplace. According to the United States Census Bureau, persons with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to start their own businesses as individuals who do not have a disability. Project Venture gives participating students an outstanding forum to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs--a holistic, hands-on introduction to designing, planning, delivering and marketing a new product or service. Click below to learn more about this terrific program.

Congratulations to the HSHT teams from Bay County, Orange County West, and Union County on advancing to the Project Venture live competition on March 1, 2023 in Orlando! We are excited to welcome these three talented groups of students and learn more about their innovative business plans.

Learn More

Service Spotlight: Future of Work Florida

Is Career and Technical Education Right for Your Clients?

Did you know an in-demand, high-wage career could be just a credential away? Career and Technical Education is a fast, affordable way to acquire skills Florida’s business are looking for through real-world, hands-on experience. We are proud to partner with the Future of Work Florida initiative and share a variety of career training options.

Future of Work Florida aims to help those interested in mid- to high-wage careers further their education and gain on-the-job training opportunities. Explore all the affordable ways to gain the skills and education needed to be successful and secure a job in one of Florida’s emerging industries at FutureOfWorkFL.com.

Your support ensures Floridians with disabilities have opportunities to gain meaningful employment.

To make your tax-deductible donation to The Able Trust,

CLICK HERE.

Forward this newsletter to other colleagues, and business and community leaders who are interested in disability employment.

CLICK HERE to join

our mailing list.

We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions about disability employment. Invite us to speak at your upcoming board meeting, conference or webinar.

CLICK HERE to fill out our

Speaker Request form.

The Able Trust, also known as the Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation, is a 501(c)(3) public charity established by the Florida Legislature in 1990 as a direct support organization for the

Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Its mission is to be a key leader in providing

Floridians with disabilities opportunities for successful employment.

The Able Trust | Contact Us | FAQs