Secretary Acosta Announces National Apprenticeship Week — November 13-19, 2017
U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced that the third annual National Apprenticeship Week will be held November 13-19. Apprenticeships provide demand-driven education, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn, and helping to close the skills gap between the skills job creators seek and job seekers need. Earlier this month, Secretary Acosta announced members of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion. The members of the Task Force, which represents companies, labor unions, trade and industry groups, and educational institutions, will identify strategies and proposals to promote apprenticeships.
Youth Video Features Youth Action Council on Transition
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth released a video about the Youth Action Council on Transition. This video presents three cohorts of youth and adult partners who have collaborated through the YouthACT initiative. They share their hopes for other youth, their accomplishments, and their perspectives on working together. YouthACT is a national initiative to get more youth with disabilities and their allies involved as leaders who partner with adults and organizations to improve opportunities for youth to succeed in life.
PEAT Talks: Creative Recruiting Strategies for the Digital Age — November 16
Digital recruitment is key to an effective overall recruiting strategy, but for many, the question is where to begin. In this PEAT Talks webinar, Jessica Miller-Merrell of Xceptional HR Consulting will discuss how recruiters and HR leaders can prioritize their digital recruiting options, and move forward by developing smaller initiatives designed to drive change and establish buy-in. Participants will learn the top five creative recruitment strategies for the digital age, from programmatic ad buying to video recruitment efforts, and how to ensure that these strategies reach all job candidates, including those with disabilities.
PEAT Issues October Newsletter and Guest Blogs
The October newsletter of the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology features background on PEAT’s new Buy IT guide to purchasing accessible technology; a new video on accessible technology and the employment lifecycle; and several blog posts and webinar recaps. Among them is a guest blog by the Paciello Group’s Henny Swan exploring “7 Principles of Inclusive Design That Put People First.” Additionally, Deque Systems published an interview this month with PEAT Deputy Project Director Corinne Weible that explored National Disability Employment Awareness Month and its intersection with accessible workplace technology issues.
New ODEP Policies in Practice Profile — Nirath Seri
Nirath Seri is a Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. Nirath, who is deaf, supports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, analyzing workforce barriers and helping create inclusive recruitment, hiring and retention practices for federal employees. Originally from India, Nirath came to Booz Allen Hamilton as part of the Summer Games Challenge, a 10-week competitive program that includes pitch sessions to senior leadership regarding the assistive technology product that her team developed. “Every day is a challenge,” notes Nirath. “Make the most of it and always remember that it is our abilities that count.”