CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — For students with disabilities or a special need, the stress about finding a job after graduation can be a scary reality. But there is one emerging program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) that is helping students breathe easier when planning for their future.
The WRP program, also known as the workforce recruitment program is for college students with disabilities or special needs. It connects students with government or private workforce jobs and valuable internships.
"In collaboration with career services on campus, students will hopefully be selected for hopefully interviews and from the process they can go into jobs when they graduate," Barbra Collins, the director of the Disability Resource Center said.
She said it is important to get these students ready for post graduation life.
"It is important that they get jobs after college and that they are productive citizens in our community," she said.
Collins said she believes employees should always look at a persons ability and not their disability.
She said that is why she has hired students with disabilities at her office, including Jose Mata who has severe dyslexia.
Mata is pursuing his Masters in clinical mental health counseling and graduate assistant at the Disability Resource Center.
"I think the program overall will prepare students in the long run especially for students who have social anxiety," Mata said.
More than 400 colleges universities nationwide took part in the WRP program this past year and TAMUK is next on the list, according to university officials.
The program is set to launch in August.
For more information, you can contact the disability resource center at TAMUK at (361) 593-3024.
