Workforce Recruitment Program
SOU Disability Resources
What is the Workforce Recruitment Program?
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) recruits college students, graduate students and recent graduates with disabilities for a resume talent database that federal managers use to hire for internships or permanent jobs.
Candidates apply to the WRP each fall through participating campuses and they represent all majors, and range from college freshmen to graduate- and law-school students. Information from candidates is compiled in a searchable database that is available to potential employers.
WRP is recognized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as a model strategy in its guidance to federal agencies regarding the recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities. Since the program’s expansion in 1995, thousands of students and recent graduates have received temporary and permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.
Participating in the WRP is an excellent way to:
- Find an internship or permanent position at federal agencies
- Explore careers in the federal service
- Gain interviewing experience
- Improve your resume
- Market your abilities to a wide variety of potential employers all over the United States
For more details and recommendations, please access the following slide decks:
WRP Student Slide Deck
Joining the WRP Talent Program (USAJOBS)
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Source: The information here was retrieved from the WRP’s public resources page.
Eligibility to Participate in the WRP
To participate in the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), individuals applying in the fall of 2025 for the 2026 database must:
- Be a person with a disability and eligible for hiring under the Schedule A Hiring Authority for persons with disabilities.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Be a current, full-time, degree-seeking, postsecondary student OR have graduated from such an institution on or after April 1, 2023.
Students may also participate if they meet all the other eligibility requirements but are taking a reduced course load due to a disability or because they are in their final term or semester prior to graduation.
Again, WRP also allows recent graduates who have graduated within two and a half years of the December release of the database to participate, so those that graduated and had a degree conferred from a postsecondary program on or after April 1, 2023 are eligible. Individuals who graduated prior to April 1, 2023 are not eligible to participate this year.
To participate, WRP candidates will have to verify eligibility by submitting a school transcript, resume and a Schedule A letter (sample of this letter) at the time of application.
WRP Student Eligibility Questions
Is there a minimum GPA requirement?
There is no minimum GPA; however, candidates should make sure that their GPA accurately reflects what is listed on their transcript and that it is their most recent GPA. Candidates in their first term or semester who do not yet have a GPA may list the most recent GPA they achieved at their previous school.
Does the applicant need to be registered with the Disability Services Office at my school?
No, there is no requirement that a WRP applicant be registered with Disability Services. However, the applicant will need to confirm they meet all the eligibility criteria listed above and provide a Schedule A letter at the time they apply.
Why is U.S. citizenship a requirement?
U.S. citizenship is a requirement to participate in WRP because WRP primarily provides candidates with Federal Government opportunities. In almost all cases, you must be a U.S. citizen or national (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) to work for the Federal Government. Please go to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or USAJobs for more information.
Can a candidate who has a criminal record still participate in WRP?
Yes, candidates with a criminal record can participate, but the School Coordinator should let the candidate know that positions may be contingent upon passing a security clearance or background check. This process is handled by the hiring agency at the time an employment offer is made.
Important Dates
Here are some dates to have in mind:
- Monday, August 25 – Student registration opens
- Friday, October 10 – Student registration closes
- Late October – Early November – Eligible candidates are invited to complete the WRP application (Eligible candidates will have 45 days to complete their Talent Program profiles once invited)
- Early November – Career development activity
- Mid-December – 2026 WRP Talent Program launch
Student Registration and Application Process
Joining the WRP talent database is a two-step process for students and recent graduates.
- The first step is an eligibility verification. WRP’s custom USAJOBS post is linked on WRP.gov. Students and recent graduates will select “apply” on the posting and create or sign into a USAJOBS.gov account. USAJOBS recommends students and recent graduates use a personal email address so that they do not lose access to it after they graduate. Applicants will upload their proof of disability/Schedule A letter and an unofficial or official transcript from the school they currently attend or recently graduated from. Students and recent graduates have until October 10 to complete this step.
- The second step occurs after WRP staff have confirmed the student or recent graduate is eligible for WRP based on reviewing their uploaded documents. Eligible students and recent graduates will receive an email inviting them to create a WRP Talent Program profile, where they will upload a resume (two pages or less) and provide information detailing their academic and work history as well as their career interests. This profile and resume will be made available to federal hiring managers for one year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does the WRP work?
Every year, WRP staff engage with more than 400 colleges and universities to participate in the WRP recruitment process for the year. WRP School Coordinators at these schools conduct outreach to their eligible students and encourage them to apply to participate in the WRP. School Coordinators must be college staff who are usually from the career or disability services office.
Who is eligible to participate?
To be eligible to register, candidates must be current, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students with a disability, or have graduated within two and a half years of the release of the database each December. For the 2026 WRP database (for which applications will open in fall 2025), a candidate who graduated with a degree from a postsecondary school on or after April 1, 2023 would still be eligible to participate. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, must be attending or have graduated from a U.S. accredited college or university, and be eligible under the Schedule A Hiring Authority for persons with disabilities.
What agencies hire from the WRP Database?
The agencies that hire from the WRP database change and vary from year to year. Here is a list of agencies who have hired WRP candidates in the past. Federal agencies who employed WRP candidates include the Departments of Defense, Labor, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs; the Social Security Administration; the Federal Housing Finance Agency; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Candidates have worked in more than 38 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and as civilian employees on military bases in Germany, Italy, and South Korea.
What sort of jobs will the candidates be assigned?
Candidates are not placed into jobs; they are simply applying to be part of a database of postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities that is made available to federal employers directly and to the private sector through a contractor. Employers will then reach out to candidates directly if they are interested in interviewing or hiring them for a specific position. Candidates should be aware that WRP is not a guarantee of employment and not everyone who participates in WRP is contacted by employers.
Are all WRP opportunities paid?
While most WRP opportunities are paid, please note that there are some cases and agencies who may reach out to current students about unpaid opportunities. In those cases, the candidate may be asked if they are interested and able to do the internship for school credit. Like with all opportunities, the candidate is welcome to decline if they are not in a position to take an unpaid internship position.
Contact Information
Do you have more questions?
Please contact the following School Coordinator:
Disability Resources
Leandra Figueroa-Pagán
Assistant Director of Disability Resources
figueroal@sou.edu and/or at dr@sou.edu
Workforce Recruitment Program
U.S. Department of Labor