The Student HireAbility Navigator is part of a statewide initiative through Texas Workforce Commission. This initiative provides support and coordination around the region to expand, enhance, and improve workforce transition services offered to students with disabilities and their families.
STUDENT HIREABILITY NAVIGATOR’S ROLE
The role of Student HireAbility Navigator is to improve access to employment and training services and to increase employment opportunities for students with disabilities. Navigators focus exclusively on developing support services to students with disabilities who are in the early phases of preparing for transition to post-secondary education and employment.
STUDENT HIREABILITY NAVIGATOR AS A RESOURCE
The Student HireAbility Navigator serves as a resource in the workforce development area to support, expand, and enhance the provision of pre-employment transition services that are provided by Vocational Rehabilitation as well as by the other partners and programs in the workforce development area. The five areas of pre-employment transition services are:
- Career exploration
- Work-based learning
- Employment transition counseling
- Workplace readiness
- Self-advocacy
PROMOTE AWARENESS
The Student HireAbility Navigator promotes pre-employment transition services and awareness provided by the Texas Workforce Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services for students with disabilities in the following three areas of focus:
- Capacity building and system development
- Partnering and collaboration
- Informing and engaging employers
WHO IS A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY?
A student with a disability is between 14-22 years old and has supporting documentation of a disability.
Documentation of disability includes:
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
- Receiving services under IDEA (Special Education)
- Receiving services through a 504 plan, or
- A formal diagnosis from a medical professional.
The student must be enrolled in a secondary school, postsecondary school, or a recognized educational program.
This includes a public, private, charter, homeschooling or other educational settings, including juvenile justice facilities.
COLLABORATE & PARTNER
The Student HireAbility Navigator collaborates and partners across the region, such as Workforce Solutions Panhandle, local Vocational Rehabilitation offices, school districts, Education Service Center Region 16, community partners, parents, and employers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- I am a teacher or administrator and would like more information on disability services. Can you help?
- Yes! Please contact us by email or phone to connect with our Navigator.
- Where can I find more information on disability services?
- Please click here to go to our Vocational Rehabilitation Page.
- Please click here to visit the Texas Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation Page (TWC VRS) information page.
GET CONNECTED
Contact your Workforce Solutions Panhandle Student HireAbility Navigator, Lori Bigham, for questions or comments.
Lori Bigham
Student HireAbility Navigator
(806) 372-3381
lbigham@theprpc.org
Resources
For more information on “We Hire Ability” program or to submit a We Hire Ability nomination, visit https://twc.texas.gov/partners/WeHireAbility.
To find out how your business can benefit from hiring individuals with disabilities or to obtain information on employee accommodation, contact a Vocational Rehabilitation Business Relations Coordinator visit https://www.twc.texas.gov/businesses/vocational-rehabilitation-business-relations
Click a button below to visit another site with available resources.
