The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Defense. The goal of the program is to connect federal employers with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer jobs or permanent employment. If you are a student with disability and are interested in federal employment opportunities, WRP might be a great opportunity to look into!

During the fall of each year, eligible candidates with disabilities register and complete an application to participate in the program. When the application window closes, volunteer WRP recruiters will be available for optional, informational interviews with WRP candidates. These federal and private sector employees volunteer to assist with WRP informational interviews to give the candidates inside knowledge of the federal hiring process. Interviews are informational in nature; interviews are not targeted for specific positions at specific agencies nor do recruiters have the ability to hire.

The WRP database will be accessible to federal recruiters and hiring specialists seeking to fill positions beginning January 2026 until December 2026. Participation in WRP does not guarantee employment, and not all candidates will be contacted by employers.

WRP Eligibility Requirements:

To qualify for WRP recruitment 2025-2026 season, an eligible candidate must:

• Have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability which makes them eligible to use the Schedule A Hiring Authority
• Be a United States citizen
• Must be a current, full-time, degree-seeking postsecondary student unless they are taking a reduced course load due to a disability or are in their final semester; alternatively, they may be a recent graduate who earned a postsecondary degree from a U.S.-accredited college or university on or after April 1, 2023
  

To learn more about the Schedule A Hiring Authority, review the “Schedule A Checklist” within WRP’s Resource Center and OPM’s Disability Employment page.

WRP Registration and Application Process

Your first step is to express your interest to your APUS WRP Campus Coordinator and confirm you meet WRP’s eligibility requirements. You may do this by submitting the WRP Request to Participate Form to Career Services.

Students will then complete a registration form on www.wrp.gov during the open registration period, which typically occurs in August each year. The registration request is then sent to the university’s campus coordinator, who reviews all registration requests for approval.

If your registration request is approved, you will receive an email advising you to begin the application process. To complete your application, you must submit your updated resume and unofficial transcripts. If you do not yet have your Schedule A Letter, begin the process of requesting one immediately.  Please do not upload your Schedule A letter. You should provide it directly to employers when they contact you regarding employment opportunities.

Upon completion of the application, APUS students and recent grads are highly encouraged to submit their resume for review and mock interview session with Career Services before interviewing with the WRP recruiter.

Please direct any questions to [email protected] we are happy to help and provide additional information and resources.