A collaboration among Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute’s Transition Pathways program and Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor & Industry and other partners recently announced a second major employer to participate in the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (OVR) Integrated Vocational Engagement & Support Team (InVEST) program, a federally funded program that helps transition individuals with disabilities away from subminimum wage positions to competitive, fulfilling careers. Pennsylvania is among 14 states to receive grant awards from the federal Department of Education for the Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) demonstration project.
Transition Pathways, which convenes partnerships with multiple stakeholders to help young adults on the autism spectrum achieve a successful transition to adulthood in Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, has been a subcontractor on this initiative since its inception.
Jessica Sances, assistant director of Program Development and Evaluation in Transition Pathways, shared with the Drexel News Blog why this initiative is important for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and how Transition Pathways has been involved.
Can you describe Transition Pathway’s involvement in the InVEST program?
Transition Pathways is a subcontractor on the project. Our team works with the other organizations on this grant to connect people with disabilities to competitive integrated employment. Specifically, we help source employer partners for the project, and train employers on best practices for including and supporting workers with disabilities in the workplace.
Why is this initiative important?
Despite advances the country has made on disability rights, we still have a long way to go. It is technically still legal to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages, although many states are moving away from this. Transition Pathways is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are connected to jobs that pay at least minimum wage, if not higher, commensurate with what their coworkers without disabilities are making. Projects like this help transition workers to jobs that pay fairly and that fully include employees with disabilities as part of their culture.
How does this compare to other work force initiatives?
There are a lot of programs and services out there that help support workers with disabilities, many of them publicly funded. This project is unique because it is part of a federal grant that focuses specifically on people with disabilities who are paid subminimum wages, or who are considering employment that pays subminimum wage. Connecting them to quality jobs help them earn more money, retain employment and find opportunities for advancement.
This project is also unique because it enables us to work with employers to make sure they are equipped with best practices for supporting workers with disabilities. It’s a win-win; we help more people with disabilities find quality jobs and employer partners tap into a reliable pipeline of qualified talent to meet their business needs.
How is it helping Pennsylvanians – specifically Pennsylvanians with disabilities?
For many people, employment is the key for financial independence and quality of life, and people with disabilities are no different. This project helps some of the most at-risk and vulnerable Pennsylvanians connect to jobs that they are qualified for, that have a need for talent and that value them as part of their workplace. About 125 people will be reached through this project, the majority of them in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.
Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about InVEST?
The School District of Philadelphia is the fourth largest employer in the city and has signed on as an employer partner for this project. We are incredibly excited about this, as the district has quality jobs with good wages and opportunities for advancement in locations all across the city. We have worked with the district on our school-to-work programs for autistic youth for nearly a decade. Their involvement in this project demonstrates their commitment to hiring workers with disabilities.
You can learn more about our work with the School District of Philadelphia here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t0ntqn3GM8.
Reporters interested in speaking with Sances should contact Annie Korp, associate director, News and Media Relations, at 215-571-4244 or amk522@drexel.edu.
