$6.4M award to DVR for program supporting job seekers with disabilities

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced that the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) has been awarded an additional $6.4 million to expand a federal grant program aimed at creating more resources and opportunities to support job seekers with disabilities pursuing a career in high-demand fields.

The additional funding comes after the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration awarded DVR a $14 million grant in September 2021 to create the DVR Career Pathways Advancement Initiative, which successfully met its goal of enrolling 500 individuals who want to advance in a career in health care, digital/information technology, construction, or manufacturing. The additional funding will support 300 more job seekers with disabilities to participate in the program.

Under the Initiative, DVR is focused on using apprenticeships, career pathways, and other programs and services to increase wages, hours worked, and job opportunities. It also works to improve self-sufficiency and reduce the use of public benefits.

Information about enrolling into the grant can be found online. To get started, individuals seeking a new or different career opportunity are encouraged to apply for DVR services.

For more information about Career Pathways in Wisconsin, click here.