Designing Inclusive Apprenticeships:
A Guide for Recruiting & Training Apprentices with Disabilities

Phase 1: Recruiting Talent with Disabilities

Did you know?

According to data collected from Accenture, employers who champion disability employment and inclusion experienced 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and had 2 times more economic profit. Additional benefits of hiring people with disabilities can include:

  • Increased retention
  • Attraction of a more diverse customer base
  • A more inclusive and accessible work culture

Refer to this phase if you’re seeking to find and recruit qualified candidates with disabilities to your apprenticeship program. There are organizations that can help and several accessibility best practices we recommend you follow to attract apprenticeship seekers with disabilities to apply to your program.
Review PIA’s resources related to Recruiting Talent with Disabilities:

  • Find Candidates with Disabilities
  • Create an Inclusive & Accessible Apprenticeship Description
  • Promote the Position
  • Ensure an Accessible Application Process

Find Candidates with Disabilities

The resources listed below will help you identify candidates with disabilities who may be interested in applying to your apprenticeship program. They will also help you understand applicable federal and state laws related to recruiting and hiring apprentices with disabilities.

Connect with Disability- & Apprenticeship-Focused Support Organizations:

There are dozens of organizations connecting employers to candidates with disabilities. We recommend you reach out to these organizations to discuss your hiring goals and learn how they can help you market your apprenticeship program to their candidate pools:

  • State and Local Service Providers & Community-based Organizations: Work with state and local service providers, such as vocational rehabilitation agencies, American Job Centers, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and other community-based organizations with ties to local communities. View this list of state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies in your area.
  • Workforce Recruitment Program: The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) connects federal and private-sector employers with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities eager to demonstrate their skills through summer employment, apprenticeships, or permanent job opportunities.
  • Veterans: As of December 2020 there were over 550,000 working-age Veterans looking for employment. And as of a 2018 survey, 41% of Gulf War-era II (post-9/11) Veterans had a service-connected disability, compared with 25% of all Veterans. There is an untapped pool of Veterans with disabilities who may a good fit for your apprenticeship program.  
  • The Urban Institute recently unveiled their resource “Recruiting Veterans and Transitioning Service Members into your Registered Apprenticeship Program,” which includes specific guidance for finding qualified Veterans. 
  • You may also want to connect with the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) office at your local military base. TAP provides information to service members transitioning from active duty to help them succeed in their personal and professional lives. Many bases allow employers to attend TAP sessions to conduct recruitment efforts. 
  • Federal Resources: The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a list of resources for hiring individuals with disabilities.

Consider Working with Private Job-Matching Companies

Private job-matching companies, such as Inclusively and Getting Hired, match candidates with disabilities with employers who are committed to hiring people with disabilities. These companies are also good sources of talent for federal contractors who must comply with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or state contractors complying with similar state-level regulations.

Confirm Your Program is Meeting Federal and State Hiring Requirements

Are you a federal contractor or subcontractor running an apprenticeship program? If so, you are likely subject to Section 503 that states federal contractors and subcontractors should aim to have people with disabilities make up 7% of their workforce. Many states have laws to encourage state agencies and private employers to be model employers of people with disabilities.

Create an Inclusive & Accessible Apprenticeship Description

“For communication to be effective, it needs to appropriately address all audiences…Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equitable opportunities.” – University of Oregon

Most candidates discover apprenticeship opportunities online. If your apprenticeship program’s online recruiting practices are not accessible and your apprenticeship description does not clearly communicate your commitment to inclusion, qualified candidates with disabilities may disregard the opportunities your program has to offer.

Include Key Information:

Your program’s apprenticeship description may be the most important piece of collateral you develop. It’s the first point of entry for candidates to get to know what your program has to offer. The description should include the following information:

  • Overview of position and tasks involved in the job
  • Program’s commitment to inclusion and creating an accessible workplace
  • Length of training and certification(s) apprentices receive
  • Eligibility requirements, desired skills, and qualifications
  • Wage and the potential for long-term employment (if applicable)
  • How to apply

Visit the following links to see examples of how some employers and intermediaries describe their apprenticeship programs:

Ensure Content is Accessible & Inclusive:

In order to enable everyone, particularly people with disabilities, to view your apprenticeship description you must craft it using inclusive language and content that is accessible to all.

  • Write in Plain Language: Write your apprenticeship description and connected application materials in plain language, which is content that is easy to read and understand. Plain language benefits all readers, including those who have cognitive disabilities. Learn more about using plain language to support eRecruiting.
  • Use Inclusive Language: According to the Arizona Department of Child Safety, content must be “free of words, phrases, or tones that demean, insult, or exclude people based on their membership within a certain group or because of a particular attribute.” Inclusive language “acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equitable opportunities.”

Communicate Your Commitment to Inclusion & Accessibility:

Adding content to your description that conveys your program’s commitment to inclusion and providing an accessible environment for all apprentices is essential. It ensures potential apprentices, particularly those with disabilities, understand you will work closely with them to support their unique needs throughout the apprenticeship process.

To learn more about how to convey your program’s commitment to supporting apprentices with disabilities, read this resource from EARN: “Expressing a Commitment to Disability Inclusion.”

Promote the Position

In order to connect with potential candidates, you’ll need to promote your open apprenticeship position using multiple communication channels to expand your reach. These might include your website, social media, and third-party job posting sites.

Make Your Website Accessible:

Before promoting your apprenticeship position make sure your program’s website is accessible. Candidates with disabilities must be able to easily research your program and apply through your website.

  • Check your site for common accessibility issues, which may include: lack of image descriptions (known as Alt Text), inaccessible tables, videos without captions or transcripts, and more.
  • You can use these free resources to check the accessibility of your site: the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool and Easy Checks.

Post on Third-Party Sites:

There are several third-party job posting websites catering to jobseekers with disabilities that are also designed to be accessible. Consider posting on sites including Inclusively and Getting Hired.

To spread the reach of your program’s apprenticeship opportunity, you may need to post on websites that lack accessibility features. To avoid accessibility issues getting in the way of receiving applications, always provide a link to the accessible application on your website.

Share the Position on Social Media:

You potential candidates likely use some form of social media. We recommend you post your positions on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to increase the number of applications you receive.

Before you promote your position on social media, make sure your posts are accessible. Here are several tips and tricks to ensure everyone can access your social media content.

Ensure an Accessible Application Process

To ensure the application process is seamless, you should avoid inadvertently excluding applicants with disabilities. These tips will help you understand how to make every step of the process accessible and equitable to everyone.

Create an Accessible Application Portal:

According to the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), employers must either make their online application processes accessible or provide an alternative means for people with disabilities to apply for jobs, unless they can show that doing so would cause an undue hardship to their organization.

Visit PEAT’s TalentWorks resource for information on how to make your online application portal accessible.

Avoid Automated Hiring Tools:

Algorithm-driven hiring tools assess candidates based on performance on an automated test, comparing candidates’ responses to a model set of successful employees. These tools can result in discrimination of people with disabilities. For example:

Did you know?

According to data collected from Accenture, employers who champion disability employment and inclusion experienced 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and had 2 times more economic profit. 

Provide Accommodations During Interviews: Employers have an obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to enable all applicants, including those with disabilities, to participate in video and in-person interviews. Learn how to avoid accessibility pitfalls related to interviewing.

  • Accommodations for interviews may include an accessible interview location for people with mobility impairments or a sign language interpreter and/or captioning for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing participating in an online interview.
  • Microsoft has designed a process in which all candidates are asked if they require accommodations in advance of their interviews, and they also have an Accommodation Request Form that applicants can complete at any point during the application process.

Provide Accommodations for Pre-Employment Testing: Recruiters are testing the “real-time know-how” of their applicants through virtual games, customer service simulations, and other types of online assessments. While they can be helpful for finding qualified apprentices, these tests may not be accessible to people with disabilities. As a starting point, read JAN’s resource on testing accommodations.

Phase 2: Creating Inclusive Classroom Instruction

It is important to ensure your program’s in-person and/or virtual classroom instruction (sometimes known as related technical instruction, or RTI) is accessible. Creating inclusive classroom instruction will allow all of your apprentices to transition to the next phase, on-the-job training, with the knowledge they need to succeed.

Did you know?

Even if you don’t have apprentices with a disclosed disability or apprentices who have requested accommodations, everyone can benefit from inclusive and accessible training.

Review PIA’s resources related to inclusive classroom instruction:

  • Encourage Disability Disclosure
  • Use Inclusive Teaching Practices
  • Provide an Accessible Platform & Materials
  • Ensure Vendors Provide Accessible Training

Encourage Disability Disclosure

Did you know?

According to the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), “individuals with disabilities have reported that they are more likely to self-identify if they see their employer making concerted efforts to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities.”

Thirty percent of the workforce has a disability and 62% of those individuals said their disabilities were invisible, meaning they would have to disclose the condition for other people to know they have a disability. Invisible disabilities include many things, from ADHD, to diabetes, to mental health conditions like depression.

Whether or not you have apprentices with disabilities in your program, you should create a safe environment that encourages disclosure so you are able to provide quality training to all your trainees. Review these resources for tips on how to encourage disclosure:

Use Inclusive Teaching Practices

There are non-technical aspects to apprenticeship training that need to be considered. Classroom training and/or curricula must be modified for individual apprentices with disabilities who request accommodations.

Did you know?

Many states have created accessibility laws that mirror Section 508. If your apprentices are receiving instruction through a state agency or a public institution, you should consult the accessibility compliance laws for that state.

You Must Provide Non-technical Classroom Accommodations:

Apprentices with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations if they experience a barrier to participation. For example, an apprentice who is deaf or hard of hearing may request a sign language interpreter be present during in-person or virtual class or classes.

According to Title III of the ADA, courses “must be modified to ensure that the place and manner in which the course is given are accessible.”

Design Curricula Using Universal Design Principles:

Design curricula to be accessible from the start using the principles of universal design (UD). Universal design in learning is the process for creating learning environments that meet diverse needs and are usable by a wide range of people, regardless of disability status.

Provide an Accessible Platform & Materials

If you use virtual platforms for instruction and for sharing digital content, you must ensure the technology your program uses is accessible so everyone can engage remotely.

Research & Procure Accessible Platforms:

Research the platforms that support your instructional needs and confirm they have accessibility features that fit the needs of your apprentices. Several mainstream platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, have accessibility features.

Read “How to Pick an Accessible Virtual Meeting Platform” for the details you’ll need to choose the right platform.

Create & Share Accessible Training Materials:

Any training materials you provide or present to your apprentices need to be accessible. That means presentations, syllabi, curricula, lecture materials, assignments, and online tests.

Ensure Vendors Provide Accessible Training

Did you know?

To be compliant with the Workforce Opportunity and Investment Act (WIOA), any state-run programs need to ensure their training vendors have the “ability to provide training that is physically and programmatically accessible for individuals who are employed and individuals with barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities.”

If you outsource instruction of your apprentices to a third-party vendor, you will want to confirm your procurement language sets expectations that your vendors understand and use accessibility best practices when training your apprentices

PEAT’s Buy IT! resource helps employers and their purchasing staff build accessibility and usability into their technology procurement processes and provides example procurement language that you can use as a model when hiring training vendors.

Phase 3: Designing Inclusive On-the-Job Training

In most apprenticeship programs, after your apprentices have completed RTI, they will transition to on-the-job training (OJT), which is usually supervised by a mentor. OJT allows apprentices to apply what they learned in the classroom to their chosen occupation, gaining hands-on experience.

Just like the previous phases, it is crucial that OJT is accessible to apprentices with disabilities and that their workplace is inclusive. They must be able to use workplace technologies and work effectively with their mentors and colleagues.
Review PIA’s resources related to inclusive OJT:

  • Develop & Sustain a Culture of Inclusion
  • Provide Workplace Accommodations
  • Ensure Workplace Technology is Accessible
  • Facilitate Virtual OJT

Develop & Sustain a Culture of Inclusion

If a company’s culture is inclusive and accessibility is a priority, apprentices with disabilities are more likely to succeed. It will also help attract future apprentices and employees with disabilities.

Communicate Commitment to Inclusion:

Take steps to ensure your organization communicates its disability inclusion policies and practices and its overall commitment to disability inclusion. Your commitment should be communicated both internally to staff and externally to stakeholders.

Train and Support Staff:

Those working closely with apprentices with disabilities, including mentors and direct supervisors, should be fluent in best practices for accessibility and accommodations. They must understand the needs of their new apprentices and what to expect to ensure they are learning the skills required to be successful on the job.

Start a Disability-focused Employee Resource Group (ERG)

Work with staff to launch an ERG, which will help create an environment where employees with disabilities feel comfortable disclosing and, in turn, helping others.

Work to Sustain a Culture of Inclusion:

Creating a culture of inclusion is an ongoing process. This culture must be maintained through ongoing activities, continued staff training, and gathering regular feedback from apprentices.

Provide Workplace Accommodations

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are required to provide employees with disabilities, including apprentices, with reasonable job accommodations. Accommodations help apprentices with disabilities perform tasks essential to their jobs. For instance, an apprentice who is blind or has low vision might ask their employer to provide a Braille keyboard, screen magnification software, or a keyboard with large print to more easily use a computer.

Did you know?

Most workplace accommodations are not expensive, and half of all accommodations cost employers nothing. Of those accommodations that do have a cost, the typical one-time expenditure is $500—an expense many employers say pays for itself through reduced training costs, increased productivity, and more.

Research Reasonable Accommodations:

Understand what is considered a reasonable accommodation so you’re prepared to answer questions and respond to requests from your apprentices with disabilities. Check out JAN’s website for a wealth of information related to workplace accommodations. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

  • Job restructuring (e.g., reallocating or redistributing job functions)
  • Modified work schedules (e.g., creating part-time or flexible work schedules)
  • Buying or modifying equipment (e.g., providing alternative keyboards)
  • Worksite adjustments (e.g., installing ramps)
  • Policy modifications (e.g., allowing service animals into an office)

Focus on Universal Design:

Accommodations can benefit all employees, including apprentices. For example, providing telework accommodations that support people with disabilities can create the infrastructure to enable other employees to work remotely; installing ramps could help a staff member with a recent injury enter the building using crutches.

Follow the seven principles of universal design to create a workplace that is accessible to all, which may also lead to fewer accommodation requests.

Be Flexible:

An apprentice’s accommodation needs may shift throughout their employment due to a change in disability status, a new job role, new technology, etc. Employers and apprenticeship intermediaries should be prepared to respond to accommodation requests throughout the entirety of the apprenticeship.

Understand the Mediation Process:

There may be cases when an apprentice isn’t satisfied with the provided accommodation or an employer denies the accommodation request. This type of conflict can result in expensive investigations and court cases.

  • Before seeking mediation, your organization (or the apprentice in question) should consider reaching out to JAN for support. JAN routes questions to one of their professional consultants who are experienced in the field of rehabilitation.
  • The Department of Justice runs the ADA Mediation Program that uses professional ADA-trained mediators to provide a free, confidential way to resolve ADA complaints.

Ensure Workplace Technology is Accessible

Whether your program’s OJT is conducted in-person or remotely, your apprentices will be required to interact with technology: sending emails, filling out timesheets, attending webinars, and more. It’s critical that workplace technology is accessible. Accessible workplace technology will not only reduce technology-related accommodation requests, but it will also show your apprentices and existing employees that your organization is devoted to inclusion.

Facilitate Virtual OJT

While OJT has historically been conducted in-person, the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a switch to remote work in most fields.

Did you know?

According to a recent national survey, 15% of employed Americans worked remotely before the outbreak of COVID-19; telework increased to 50% during the pandemic. It’s likely telework will continue to remain at high levels post pandemic. Companies have become accustomed to this method of work and have seen financial benefits from the shift.

As outlined in the report “Disability-Inclusive Telework for States: State Approaches to Increasing Access & Inclusion,” the Council of State Governments (CSG) notes that state agencies allowing telework can save over $11,000 annually for each employee who telecommutes half-time

It may not be possible to train apprentices virtually in certain fields. That said, the number of technology apprenticeships is increasing, making telework in those fields a feasible option during OJT. The option to work remotely can benefit apprentices with disabilities who may need or prefer to work from home to do their jobs successfully.