Celebrating Value and Talent with Advancing Employment

This October marks the 81st anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual celebration of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce. The theme for NDEAM 2026 is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” In Georgia, Advancing Employment is leading NDEAM celebration events.

Advancing Employment is Georgia’s training and technical assistance center for best practices in employment supports. It works to create and improve employment supports and systems in Georgia so workers with disabilities can find and keep jobs in inclusive workplaces. Advancing Employment supports job seekers with disabilities, employment service providers, and businesses. This helps to make inclusive employment a reality across Georgia. The program is part of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Center on Human Development and Disability. It is one of UGA’s oldest continuously funded federal programs.

Advancing Employment began as a small project more than 10 years ago. It was originally created as a technical assistance center and has grown into a statewide resource for inclusive employment. Support from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has helped the program to grow.
Doug Crandell is the project director at Advancing Employment. He explained why the funding matters. “The truth is, if GCDD didn't fund it, we wouldn't have a center in Georgia.”

Helping People Find and Keep Jobs

Advancing Employment has become a central location that helps lead NDEAM activities across Georgia. It encourages businesses of all sizes to take part and learn. The program shares resources and information to help people get jobs. It also helps people understand policies that affect workers with disabilities.

This work supports competitive integrated employment (CIE). CIE means jobs where people with and without disabilities work together, earn fair wages, and have equal chances to grow in their jobs. According to Crandell, every person who gets a job in Georgia gives back more than $3,000 a year to taxpayers.

Training and Support

Advancing Employment offers in-person and online training through its Education Opportunities program. Training is available to job coaches and other staff who help people to keep their jobs. Families and organization leaders can also take part. This includes staff from two state agencies: the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency.

Trainings for professionals, job seekers, and families teach ways to support workers. Participants take tests before and after each training measure what they have learned.

Advancing Employment also shares resources with employers. These explain the benefits of inclusive hiring and how it can help a business. Resources include economic presentations, employer toolkits, and more.

Learning Together

Advancing Employment hosts an online Community of Practice (CoP) meeting each month. People who provide employment services can share ideas and resources. They discuss how to support people with disabilities in reaching their job goals. These meetings also help the program learn what support providers need. They also help communities start local hiring councils.

Advancing Employment is bringing people, providers, and businesses together to create more job opportunities across Georgia.

Join the NDEAM Celebration

On October 27, 2026, Advancing Employment will host its annual NDEAM awards celebration at the Tubman Museum. The event will recognize the value and talent that workers with disabilities contribute to Georgia. It will also help set Advancing Employment’s 2027 Policy Imperative goals.

The celebration will include an awards ceremony and presentations from the GA Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, DBHDD, and the Ralston Institute/Center on Human Development and Disability.

When: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Tubman African American Museum, 310 Cherry Street, Macon, GA
Register for the event

Follow GCDD to celebrate and learn how to build more opportunities for workers with disabilities!