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In Part One of this two-part webinar series, Dr. Philip Rumrill lays the foundation for effective employer engagement by reframing how disability professionals approach the labor market. This session focuses on positioning employment services as a strategic labor supply solution, rather than a compliance-driven or charity-based effort. Drawing on research, policy, and decades of workforce development experience, Dr. Rumrill explores how disability professionals can align their work with real employer needs while maintaining a strong commitment to advocacy and inclusion.
Participants will examine key demand-side strategies, including understanding employer pain points, speaking the language of business, and leveraging workforce data to inform job matching and placement decisions. The session highlights the importance of building credibility with employers, human resource professionals, and industry partners by emphasizing performance, retention, and productivity outcomes. Dr. Rumrill also introduces the concept of disability advocates as an integral part of the human resource pipeline, setting the stage for deeper myth-busting and evidence-based discussions in Part Two.
This webinar is ideal for employment specialists, workforce professionals, and service providers seeking practical strategies to strengthen employer relationships, expand job opportunities, and improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities through informed, collaborative engagement.
Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to
1. Explain the importance of employer engagement and the human resource pipeline in increasing competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
2. Identify demand-side strategies for engaging employers, including relationship-building, labor market analysis, and positioning service providers as labor supply and consultation resources.
3. Apply strength-based and community-based approaches to better match workers with disabilities to available jobs within local labor markets.
About the presenters:
Dr. Phillip Rumrill, PhD, CRC is a nationally recognized scholar and leader in rehabilitation counseling, disability employment, and workforce inclusion. He serves as a professor of counselor education and has held senior research leadership roles focused on vocational rehabilitation services, employer engagement, and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Rumrill’s research and professional work emphasize demand-side strategies, workplace accommodations, disability management, and strengthening the connection between rehabilitation professionals and the human resource pipeline. He brings both professional and lived experience to his work, having been a vocational rehabilitation consumer himself, and has dedicated his career to advancing equitable employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
