Last updated: October 8, 2026 Project: Digital Career Compass (DCC) expansion to 50 additional Californians with disabilities

Computer Technologies Program (CTP) seeks funding to expand our Digital Career Compass (DCC) vocational assessment to 50 additional Californians with disabilities. DCC is a comprehensive career assessment built on nearly 1,000 objective benchmarks. It evaluates skills, explores career options, and helps each participant set individualized goals. In our 2025 pilot, 95% of 38 evaluated participants rated DCC helpful and 89% reported gaining new insights into their career goals. This project brings that proven tool to 50 more people across California, delivered remotely through live, instructor-led sessions with full accessibility accommodations.

Only 24.5% of people with disabilities participate in the labor force, compared to 68.1% of people without disabilities (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Many people with disabilities want to work but do not know where to start. They are unsure what careers match their abilities, what training they need, or how to talk about their skills to employers. Without clear direction, they cycle through programs that do not fit or give up entirely. DCC addresses this directly by giving each person a concrete picture of their strengths and a realistic path forward. For people who are Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent, having an assessment designed with accessibility in mind is not a luxury. It is the difference between being seen accurately and being overlooked.

DCC is already part of CTP's core service model. It is how we assess every new participant who needs direction. After the grant period, DCC assessments will continue as a standard part of our programming, funded through our ongoing Department of Rehabilitation contracts, private-pay assessments, and other grant support. This grant expands our capacity to serve 50 additional people. It does not create a program that disappears when the funding ends.

CTP's mission is to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities through training in information technologies, self-marketing strategies, and advocacy. DCC sits at the front door of everything we do. Before someone starts training, they need to know which direction to go. DCC answers that question with real data instead of guesswork. Expanding DCC strengthens our entire service pipeline, from intake through training to job placement. It is not a side project. It is central to how CTP fulfills its mission.

We will reach potential participants through our existing networks: email to our contact list of past participants, DOR counselors, and community partners; social media posts on our active channels; direct outreach through disability service organizations across California; and our website. DOR counselors are a key channel since they refer clients who need vocational assessment. We will also share through partner newsletters and community bulletin boards. All outreach materials will be available in accessible formats.

Ability Central's mission is to ensure that people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent can communicate and access information. DCC embodies that mission. It is an assessment built to be fully accessible, delivered remotely with closed captioning and individualized accommodations, so that Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent participants can engage completely. The assessment itself is about access to information: giving each person clear, accurate information about their own skills and career options, presented in a way they can use. CTP shares Ability Central's commitment to accessibility as a starting point, not an afterthought.