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When people with disabilities seek to enter or re-enter the workforce, they sometimes will receive help from vocational rehabilitation counselors, professionals who are trained at the intersection of counseling, workplace systems, and disability-specific support. The counselors play a crucial role in helping individuals prepare for employment, navigate the labor market, and build long-term workplace success.

Across the United States, however, there is a significant shortage of vocational rehabilitation counselors.

To help address that gap, Illinois Tech Professor of Psychology Nicole Ditchman and Assistant Professor Lindsay Sheehan have each been awarded a five-year, $1 million grant from the United States Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The grants will fund tuition scholarships and advanced training for two cohorts of 17 scholars each, expanding Illinois Tech’s long-running programs that have traditionally trained highly skilled vocational rehabilitation counselors.

For decades, Illinois Tech has run these programs through sustained support from the RSA, helping the university to educate and train generations of counselors who go on to serve in state or federal vocational rehabilitation systems.

“There’s something really important about helping people to be engaged in their community by working,” says Ditchman. “The goal is to [instill] high-quality skills in people [so that they can] go and work with diverse individuals with disabilities providing vocational rehabilitation, with an emphasis on working for the public vocational rehabilitation system or related agencies.” 

Each grant includes a one-to-one tuition match from Illinois Tech, with approximately 90 percent of the funding going directly to students through tuition coverage, stipends, scholarships, and professional development support.

While the two grants share a core mission, they differ slightly in focus.

Ditchman’s project supports students who are preparing to work with people with disabilities in general, while Sheehan’s focuses specifically on training counselors to support individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

“Historically, there’s been a lack of vocational rehabilitation counselors that are skilled to work with folks who have a psychiatric disability,” says Sheehan.

At the core of both projects is the creation of a scholar academy, which includes a structured sequence of workshops, guest speakers, and community-building experiences that builds on the program’s traditional curriculum.

“This allows the students the opportunity to build a sense of community and for us to provide more targeted training on areas that are particularly relevant for people pursuing vocational rehabilitation,” says Ditchman. “Also, a big part of it is connecting them with our alumni.”

Since Illinois Tech has been training these counselors for decades, a robust network of graduates exists. These connections, combined with the specialized training, help prepare students who are able to build upon the advice and perspective they receive from alumni to prepare for a rapidly evolving workforce.

“We really want the scholars to be ready for the cutting edge—to be prepared for changes in the workforce,” says Ditchman.

All of the scholars in the program will also complete an internship with the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services, giving them direct experience working in the public system.

“The grant really is intended to help fill that need for the public vocational rehabilitation service system,” adds Sheehan.

Through these two RSA-funded grants, Ditchman and Sheehan aim to continue Illinois Tech’s tradition of molding counselors who will help those with disabilities build meaningful careers.

Image: Nicole Ditchman (left) and Lindsay Sheehan (right).