ACT to Employ – Students
ACT to Employ helps students with disabilities find paid experiential learning opportunities that align with their academic and career goals. ACT to Employ also supports students with disabilities in opportunities they have obtained independently (e.g. Co-op, Work Study, SaPP, iCUREUS, on-campus part-time jobs, external jobs, etc.).
To participate in the program, fill out the registration form here.
By registering with ACT to Employ, you are welcome to access all of the specialized services including:
Access to Paid Placements
ACT to Employ aims to place students with disabilities in employment opportunities on campus and in the community, and to provide them with hands-on quality work experiences while they obtain their post-secondary degree to increase their employability skills, network connections, and confidence.
There are 5 ways you can become employed through ACT to Employ:
- Access and apply to job postings on the ACT to Employ job board, the On-Campus job board, or the Career Services job board through mySuccess (via Carleton 360)
- Inform the ACT to Employ Counsellor of a department or campus service you are interested in working with. In this case, the ACT team will endeavor to reach out to the department or campus service on your behalf and discuss the possibility of creating a placement for you
- Conduct a Self-Directed Placement search. ACT to Employ’s self-directed placement process allows ACT to Employ students to create their own placement opportunities by connecting with employers on-campus, such as particular departments of interest or professors they have worked with in the past
- Obtain an external employment opportunity and connect with ACT to Employ for support. Although we cannot provide funding for community employment options, we are happy to support you with setting up accommodations or providing education around accessibility and inclusive hiring practices
- The ACT to Employ team routinely circulates students’ career documents to interested external employer partners (i.e., government departments, tech firms, etc.)
Access to the ACT to Employ Resource Hub on Brightspace
The resource hub on Brightspace is for ACT to Employ students to find important information and resources to support their job search, the application process, work term, and post-work term. It includes modules on Professionalism, Disclosure and Accommodations, and Professional Communication (including helpful email templates) and so much more!
ACT to Employ Counselling
The ACT to Employ Student Counsellor is available to work with ACT students on aspects of your lives related to work and disability. Jenna’s approach to her practice is integrative and student-centered. If you feel you could benefit from additional support in the form of student counselling sessions, please reach out to the ACT to Employ team to schedule an appointment.
Support with Disclosure and Accommodations
The ACT to Employ team supports students with the process of communicating accommodation needs to employers as requested. As part of the ACT to Employ program, employers are understanding and supportive of hiring students with disabilities. Our employer partners will receive information on specifically requested accommodations during the application process and work term.
For participation in the ACT to Employ Program, it is not required that students disclose any information about the nature of their disability.
If you have questions about disclosure or want to discuss how to disclose to an employer, please reach out to ACT to Employ Student Counsellor, Jenna Lambert
Some examples of common accommodations provided by employers may include:
- Providing applicants with interview questions ahead of time
- Flexible work schedules
- Adding computer software such as text to speech or screen magnifiers
- Alternative communication methods
- Moving the workspace to an environment that is quieter or with better lighting
Job Search and Placement Support
The ACT to Employ Student Counsellor is available to support students with all aspects of the placement process from job search to placement and beyond. This can include:
- Resume review, job search, self-directed job search, interview preparation with the Student Counsellor, Jenna Lambert
- Placement check-ins and ongoing counselling appointments
- Bridging for new grads to community supports and opportunities
How can I register?
Current students and alumni can register with ACT to Employ to access support and receive notifications about recruitment events and specialized programming. By joining the ACT to Employ Program, you can receive ongoing e-mail notices about job postings, notices about employment-related workshops, and upcoming learning opportunities. Current students will also be granted access to the ACT to Employ Resource Hub on Brightspace.
Once you are registered, you will receive a welcome email from our team with information on the next steps.