Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) provides an opportunity to recognize the skills, contributions, and potential of people with disabilities in workplaces across the country.
For Bridges from School to Work, that recognition reflects a mission we pursue every day: connecting young adults with disabilities to meaningful employment and helping employers discover talent they may otherwise overlook.
A Month with a Long History
National recognition of disability employment dates back to 1945, when Congress established a week dedicated to recognizing the contributions of workers with physical disabilities. In 1988, the observance expanded into the month-long NDEAM we recognize today. It has since evolved to include people with all types of disabilities, including mental health conditions and other nonobvious disabilities.
The U.S. Department of Labor's 2026 theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” emphasizes the skills and contributions people with disabilities bring to America's workplaces, communities, and economy.
But NDEAM is about more than recognition. It is also an opportunity to consider how much work remains.
The Employment Gap Remains Significant
People with disabilities continue to experience significant disparities in employment.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.8% of people with disabilities were employed in 2025, compared with 65.2% of people without disabilities. Some of that difference reflects the older age profile of the population with disabilities, but the employment and unemployment data continue to demonstrate meaningful disparities in workforce participation.
For young adults with disabilities transitioning from school into adulthood, that first opportunity to enter the workforce can be especially important.
A first job provides much more than a paycheck. It creates opportunities to develop skills, establish independence, build professional relationships, discover strengths, and begin imagining what comes next.
Recognition Should Lead to Opportunity
Celebrating disability employment means recognizing what people with disabilities already contribute. It should also encourage employers to examine whether their hiring practices are creating opportunities for qualified candidates to demonstrate what they can do.
Sometimes the barriers are not part of the job itself.
A traditional interview format, an unnecessarily complicated application, assumptions about someone's capabilities, or a lack of flexibility in how a candidate demonstrates their skills can prevent employers from seeing talented people.
Inclusive hiring does not mean lowering expectations. It means ensuring the hiring process measures the skills and abilities that actually matter for the position.
For employers, that can also mean access to a talent pool that has historically been underrepresented in the workforce.
From Awareness to Action
NDEAM gives organizations a reason to start the conversation, but disability inclusion should not end when October does.
Employers can use this month to review hiring practices, educate managers, strengthen accessibility, connect with disability employment organizations, and identify positions where inclusive hiring could address existing workforce needs.
Educators and families can use NDEAM to begin conversations with young people about employment, independence, career interests, and the possibilities available after high school.
And communities can celebrate businesses that are creating meaningful opportunities while encouraging more employers to participate.
At Bridges, we see the impact of those opportunities every day. Across the country, young adults with disabilities are working, learning new skills, building relationships with coworkers, earning their own income, and becoming valued members of their teams.
That is what NDEAM represents to us.
Celebrating value and talent is important. Creating opportunities for that talent to be seen is even more important.