In observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Paradise Valley Community College’s Disability Resources and Services Center (DRS) wants to remind students about the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP). The program provides students with disabilities great job opportunities and the chance to gain work experience in the Federal Government, and to use their skills and talents to serve the public. PVCC is committed to WRP’s recruitment and referral efforts to connect federal and private-sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
“DRS strives to empower students, foster independence and self-advocacy, in order to promote achievement of career and educational goals. It also supports and focuses on the student’s holistic development throughout their academic journey, to make sure the student is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete and succeed in the workforce,” said Sara Shuaib, program coordinator, PVCC. “WRP is just one of the various resources on campus to support students’ with disabilities career readiness plans. We want to ensure employment barriers are removed, and to cultivate a sense of belonging and confidence in each student with a disability who is interested in pursuing their career in their field of interest.”
To apply, students need to create a profile through the WRP website. Coordinators for the program will follow their affiliation to provide any assistance or to request any additional information/documentation needed to qualify for the program. Registration deadline is October 12, 2023.
Find Out More about DRS
PVCC’s DRS Center provides accommodations and services to students with disabilities to ensure equal access to all PVCC programs, services, and activities. DRS works with students, faculty, and campus staff to determine and implement reasonable accommodations representative of equal access.
A student wishing to use services must meet MCCCD admissions requirements, or be enrolled as an MCCCD student, and provide DRS with documentation outlining the nature of the disability prior to receiving any accommodations. DRS is responsible for evaluating documentation and determining reasonable accommodations.
Reasonable accommodations are determined once a student has followed the online affiliation process and met with the DRS office. Accommodations are provided on a course by course basis and students have to elect to use them every semester. Some of the accommodations and services offered to students are:
- Testing accommodations
- Accessible furniture
- Interpreters
- Technology: assistive listening devices, dictation software, and text-to-speech software
- Textbooks in alternative format
- Temporary accommodations for temporary disabilities
Get Started Today
A student wishing to use DRS must first apply through DRS Connect and provide documentation.
- Services must meet MCCCD admissions requirements, or be currently enrolled as an MCCCD student.
- Students must provide DRS with documentation outlining the nature of the disability prior to receiving any accommodations.
- DRS is responsible for evaluating documentation and determining reasonable accommodations.
For more information, students can contact the DRS office at 602-787-7171 or email PVCC’s school coordinator at sara.shuaib@paradisevalley.com. Office hours are Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm (In-person & Virtual), Friday: 10:00am - 2:00pm (In-person & Virtual).