For students with disabilities pursuing careers in public service, the Federal Government offers a wealth of rewarding job opportunities. Elijah Henderson learned this firsthand through his participation with the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), which helped him obtain two government agency jobs.
Elijah, who is Deaf and uses cochlear implants, earned his B.A. in communications studies in 2022 from Gallaudet University, where he is now working toward his master’s in public administration. After learning about the WRP from a friend who participated in the program, Elijah worked with Gallaudet’s WRP coordinator to take advantage of it himself. He submitted his application, took part in an informational interview, and was soon fielding inquiries from several federal agencies.
The first job Elijah secured through the WRP was as a program support specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., where he performed administrative and data entry tasks. He later accepted a position as an administrative support specialist with the U.S. Department of Labor, where Elijah continues to work today. In his role, he handles a variety of tasks in support of the Department and its workforce, including those related to Section 508 compliance, information technology onboarding, and safety and health programs.
Elijah’s long-term goals are to learn as much as he can and to grow as both a professional and leader. He says he wants to become a manager one day so that he can support and inspire other people with disabilities to aim high. “Working with the WRP has taught me to seek out and utilize resources that might be available to me,” says Elijah. “It also has taught me that the sky’s the limit—you can aim as high as you want to go, and there is nothing wrong with seeking assistance to get there.”
In addition to being Deaf, Elijah is a person of color. He says these intersectional aspects of his identity motivate him, especially knowing that many other disabled people of color may not have access to the same opportunities. “This pushes me to make the best out of the opportunities I receive and to strive to be better every day,” he says.
His advice for other students considering the WRP? Find ways to make your resume stand out by working on campus, volunteering and seeking certifications. Also, make professional connections that you can use as references and job leads. “Programs like the WRP are designed to help students with disabilities but remember to put in the work to get everything out of it that you can,” says Elijah.