State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Awarded $6.4 Million to Expand Federal Grant Program

Wednesday, September 13th, 2023 -- 10:00 AM

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) 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 healthcare, digital/information technology, construction, and manufacturing.

The additional funding will support 300 more job seekers with disabilities to participate in the program. "The Career Pathways Advancement Initiative is a testament to the great work DVR is doing to ensure Wisconsinites with disabilities have the training and resources to reach their employment goals in four of the most in-demand career fields," DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said.

"It's incredibly important to Wisconsin's economy that workers are learning new skills, earning certifications and degrees, and being exposed to more career advancement opportunities."

Under the Initiative, DVR is focused on using apprenticeships, career pathways, and other programs and services to increase wages, hours worked, and job opportunities and 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 or by contacting DVR at 608-261-0050.

For more information about Career Pathways in Wisconsin, DWD offers a comprehensive list of all 16 career paths that includes information about specific occupations including: an overview of each occupation, what education and training is required, median wages and wage ranges, open jobs in Wisconsin, and much more.

The information can be found on the Career Pathways website.

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