Empower to Employ

Services

Empower to Employ is a free two-year inclusive postsecondary program designed to prepare students with intellectual disabilities for independent living and employment.

Empower to Employ is an approved Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program (FPCTP), recognized by the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA).

Benefits

Empower to Employ helps students prepare for independent living by focusing on adult life skills, such as budgeting, housing, transportation, self-determination, and self-advocacy.

Students prepare for the workplace by completing Empower to Employ workforce classes and earning industry certificates and micro-credentials.

Each semester students participate in paid or unpaid internships on or off campus. During the final semester, students work off campus, prepare professional resumes, and apply for post-graduation employment.

Program graduates earn the Empower to Employ Certification of Completion and participate in commencement.

Students may be eligible for federal financial aid and FPCTP scholarships (through the FCSUA) to help cover the program’s cost.

EMPOWER TO EMPLOY CAREER PATHWAYS

Following person-centered planning, students select a pathway based on career goals, talents, and interests. Pathway elective courses are inclusive, allowing students to learn from one another, forge friendships, and gain new skills.

PATHWAY OPTIONS

• • Art & Design
  • Business/Entrepreneurship
  • Education/Childcare
  • Gaming/Digital Media
  • Hospitality/Tourism

APPLICATION PROCESS

• • Complete the Polk State College student application.
  • Submit Empower to Employ program-specific application and required documentation by February 1.
  • Complete Personal Support Inventory form and submit with application
  • Attend a virtual interview with Empower to Employ program staff.
  • Selected candidates will be invited to a follow-up interview on campus.
  • Accepted students will receive additional information about orientation and registration.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Students who meet the following minimum criteria are encouraged to apply.

• • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Have the legal authority to make their own decisions, allowing them to fully participate in the program.
  • Have been diagnosed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with Intellectual Disability (ID).
  • Graduated high school with a standard diploma or equivalent (proof of diploma/GED required).
  • Have the ability to navigate the campus and maintain personal hygiene independently.
  • Desires to attend college and enter the workforce.

For more information contact:
Belkis Torres Capeles, PhD
Dean, Workforce Education
863.904.0542
Ext 6820

Note: This material was produced in part under Grant No. 14107033-010125-3.5-55 provided by the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities at the University of Central Florida, with funding made available by The Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act (Fla. Statutes 1004.6495). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or polices of UCF or the State of Florida. No official endorsement by the Florida Board of Governors of the State University System or by the Florida Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. This product is public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted.