More job opportunities for people with disabilities – that’s the intent of a partnership between Alliance Enterprises, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) and DirectEmployers Association. The new partnership integrates the National Labor Exchange (NLx) job search network into Alliance’s Aware software, giving job seekers of all abilities access to over 2 million job opportunities nationwide.
NASWA and DirectEmployers jointly operate the NLx, one of the nation’s largest job search networks. NLx has provided over 75 million jobs with over 300,000 employers since its formation in 2007. Alliance’s Aware software is the industry standard for vocational rehabilitation (VR) case management, data analytics and cloud services. The software is used by more than 12,000 rehabilitation service professionals across 39 state VR agencies and 24 tribal nations.
“While the overall unemployment rate across America is at historic lows, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities who have the skills, abilities, and desire to work remains high. We’re doing what we can to positively change that,” said Chris M. Pieper, CEO of Alliance Enterprises. “This partnership gives rehabilitation counselors who use our software greater access and visibility into job opportunities for the individuals they serve and a concrete way to make a greater impact.”
The technology integration brings state workforce agencies and vocational rehabilitation agencies around the country closer together, a key tenet of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), federal legislation signed into law in 2014.
An important partnership
“The significance of this partnership cannot be overstated,” said Scott B. Sanders, executive director of NASWA. “In this current period of unprecedented job growth and labor shortage, it is critical that all individuals are empowered with every possible tool to be successful, and this collaborative effort does just that.”
Candee J. Chambers, executive director with DirectEmployers, stated, “The technology integration is great news for companies seeking to acquire diverse talent and to be more inclusive in hiring, and for the millions of Americans who will be better served with meaningful employment opportunities.”
About the National Association of State Workforce Agencies: www.naswa.org
About DirectEmployers Association: www.directemployers.org/about/
