Fairfax County Department of Family Services is excited to host its yearly Employment Mentoring Day for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM began in 1945 to celebrate the achievements of workers with disabilities and to support fair job opportunities for everyone. This year’s theme, "Celebrating Value and Talent," focuses on showing how people with disabilities bring important skills to jobs and help our economy grow.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in August 2025, 77.9% of people without disabilities (aged 16–64) had jobs, while only 42.2% of people with disabilities were employed. To help change this, Employment Mentoring Day connects students with disabilities to Fairfax County employees. This year, more than three dozen students from Fairfax County Public Schools will participate in mentoring day. The event gives students helpful advice to prepare for future jobs and allows them to learn about careers in local government. The Disability Rights and Resources (DRR) team runs the event in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools.
The DRR team also offers programs throughout the year, like the John Hudson Internship Program and the Employment Development Training Program. These programs provide paid internships to help students with disabilities gain work experience and get ready for meaningful jobs. Learn more about Disability Rights and Resources.