National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Building Skills, Creating Futures
At PHILLIPS Programs, preparing students for meaningful employment begins long before they submit their first job application. It starts in classrooms, teaching kitchens, construction sites, and community workplaces, where young people discover their strengths, develop practical skills, and begin to see themselves as future professionals.
As National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) draws to a close, we're reflecting on a commitment that has been central to PHILLIPS for more than 40 years: ensuring students with disabilities and behavioral health wellness needs have access to the experiences, skills, and support that prepare them for life beyond school.
For many young people, the transition from school to employment presents challenges. At PHILLIPS, we recognize that preparing students for work requires more than teaching a trade. It means understanding how each student learns, identifying their strengths, and building an individualized path toward greater independence.
Learning by Doing
At PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale, students in our Building Futures program are constructing a house from the ground up. They measure lumber, install siding, learn construction techniques, and see their work take shape before their eyes.
The lessons extend beyond carpentry. Students practice collaboration, problem-solving, patience, and accountability. They learn what it means to complete a task, work through frustration, and take pride in something they've helped create.
In our culinary arts programs, students develop similar skills through food preparation, kitchen management, and industry-backed ProStart instruction. Students at our Laurel campus have taken their training to the Maryland ProStart Invitational, putting their knowledge of food safety, preparation, and teamwork to the test in a competitive professional setting.
These experiences are supported by measurable outcomes. In 2025, PHILLIPS students earned more than 20 industry-recognized certifications, including OSHA, ServSafe, Banquet Services, and National Career Readiness credentials. We also recorded an 83% increase in student work-site placements, expanding opportunities for students to apply their skills in professional environments.
From the Classroom to the Workplace
For Annie, a student at PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale, career education means spending time each week working at a local library. Her responsibilities include retrieving books and preparing carts for loans and transfers.
It's meaningful work, with real expectations and responsibilities.
Through partnerships with libraries, healthcare clinics, food banks, and other community employers, PHILLIPS students gain firsthand experience navigating professional environments. Along the way, they practice communication, time management, self-advocacy, and the interpersonal skills that help people succeed at work.
These placements also provide something that cannot always be taught in a classroom: the opportunity to discover what they're capable of through experience.
Investing in What's Next
Our commitment to career preparation continues to grow.
At PHILLIPS, career-connected learning begins in middle school, when students are discovering their interests, developing their strengths, and beginning to understand the opportunities available to them. Through hands-on projects, career exploration activities, and opportunities to engage with industry professionals, students gain exposure to different professions and see how classroom learning connects to the world of work.
Whether exploring culinary arts, construction, or agriculture, students develop practical skills, build confidence, and discover new interests. These early experiences lay the foundation for more focused career education in high school. With support from Britebound, PHILLIPS is enhancing career-connected learning opportunities that help students recognize their abilities and begin envisioning futures filled with possibility
The goal is to help students recognize their interests and strengths early enough to make informed decisions about their futures.
For nearly 60 years, PHILLIPS has understood that progress looks different for every student. Some need more time, some need a different approach, and others need someone to recognize an ability they haven't yet discovered in themselves.
Our responsibility is to provide the expertise, relationships, and opportunities that allow those abilities to develop.
As National Disability Employment Awareness Month comes to an end, our work continues. We celebrate the students discovering their strengths, the educators helping them develop new skills, and the families and community partners who make these opportunities possible.
Every student deserves the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and build a future that reflects their ambitions. At PHILLIPS, preparing students for that future is a commitment we carry forward every day.
