Celebrating 2025's National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
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National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), taking place in October, serves an important time to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities and the programs that make their success possible in today’s workforce.
Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), along with its Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division, is recognizing the month by hosting events and webinars, sharing success stories, and talking about the many pathways available for Iowans with disabilities to find a successful career.
Since aligning Vocational Rehabilitation with other workforce programs at IWD, Iowans with disabilities have greater access to more services and better connections to the resources that can help them find meaningful employment across the state.
Check out the information below on the various NDEAM activities and employment opportunities happening next month!
National Disability Employment Awareness Month Highlights
NDEAM Webinar Series
A webinar series is taking place to highlight the many different ways to create successful employment opportunities for Iowans with disabilities! You can view the topics and register for the series below.
Join us virtually for a one-hour overview of the six essential online modules designed to introduce the fundamentals of digital accessibility. This session will provide a high-level walkthrough of key concepts and practical techniques from Easterseals Iowa's Digital Access for Everyone online course. This will help make digital content more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone. Whether you're new to accessibility or looking to refresh your knowledge, this overview will help you understand the importance of accessibility and how small changes can make a big impact.
This panel will answer questions around what has worked for them as employers to hire, support, and retain individuals with disabilities. Discussing accommodations, hiring processes, and other ways to support individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
Join us virtually for a one-hour exploration of the business case for workplace flexibility, not just as an accommodation, but as a powerful strategy for retention and resilience.
Join us virtually for a one-hour webinar that will cover the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act and how these two laws can intersect for employers. Digital Access for Everyone online course. This will help make digital content more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone. Whether you're new to accessibility or looking to refresh your knowledge, this overview will help you understand the importance of accessibility and how small changes can make a big impact.
Matt Grems was born with profound hearing loss in both ears and briefly attended a school for the deaf as a youngster in Fort Dodge. Eventually, armed with some lip-reading skill and better versions of the hearing aids he’s worn since age 2, Grems would take his experience at the family business and turn it into a 32-year career digging sewer lines for a plumbing company.
In Grems’ case, the Iowa Self-Employment (ISE) program in the Rehabilitation Services division of Iowa Workforce Developmen helped find the people he needed to create a logo and launch a website.
Matt Grems and his mother on the opening day of Pit Happens.
Even while school is out for the summer, the learning doesn’t stop for some students in Iowa. Iowa’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services works with hundreds of students with disabilities every summer to help expose them to new and interesting career paths through the Summer Pre-Employment Transition Services (PRE-ETS) program.
In Marshalltown, IA, students got to gear up with the Marshalltown Community College Powerline program and learn what it means to be a Powerline Technician. From climbing maintenance poles to hearing how a local aviation company is flying linemen to remote locations via helicopter, see how hands-on experience can create lifelong interests.
Abbie Liechty was in her first year at the University of Iowa when it became clear that “something was wrong, because I wasn’t able to get through things as fast as other kids were able to get through things.”
Eventually, testing diagnosed Liechty with a reading disability, ADHD, and some accompanying anxiety issues. It was unclear what this meant for the future. Could college continue? How could she make it work?
Then, Liechty heard about Vocational Rehabilitation Services – and the people Abbie now credits with showing her the pathway to a rewarding career.
Local IowaWORKS offices and partners will be hosting events across the state related to disability employment. Contact your local IowaWORKSoffice to learn more or connect with staff who are assisting Iowans with disabilities find employment.
Connect with a VR office today by selecting the link below to bring up its information. You can also sort by county.
Data: Serving Iowans with Disabilities (Program Year 2024)
1,541
Number of Iowans with disabilities that obtained employment with the support of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
$21.75M
Total estimated growth in wages earned by VR job candidates who successfully found work during the program year.
97.9%
Percentage of successful VR job candidates who have remained working and living in Iowa.
Stay tuned to this page for additional updates, success stories, and more as we get closer to October and celebrate the employment opportunities for Iowans with disabilities!
