For many job seekers, the hardest part of finding employment isn’t learning a trade — it’s building the confidence and professional skills to walk in the door and succeed. VersAbility TECH is looking for someone who understands that, and who wants to do something about it.
The Professional Development Instructor role sits at the heart of VersAbility’s workforce development programs, helping neurodiverse and disabled adults develop the workplace readiness skills employers actually want: communication, professionalism, time management, teamwork, and career planning.
You’ll design and deliver curriculum, facilitate workshops on resume writing and interview prep, and provide one-on-one coaching — all in a learning environment built around inclusion, encouragement, and growth.
This isn’t a traditional classroom gig.
It’s a coaching role as much as a teaching one. The right candidate is someone who can read a room, adjust their approach for different learning styles, and meet participants where they are. Experience working with neurodiverse individuals is a strong plus, but what matters most is the mindset: patient, adaptable, and genuinely invested in helping people reach their potential.
Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in education, human resources, or a related field, along with at least three years of experience in training, coaching, or workforce development. Familiarity with tools like Canva, Canvas, or Google Workspace is a bonus.
This is a full-time, Monday through Friday position (8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) based in Hampton, Virginia. It’s an opportunity to work for a mission-driven nonprofit that has spent decades creating real pathways for people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive.
If you’re ready to make your workday matter, apply at VersAbility’s careers site or reach out to wehire@versability.org.
Hampton Roads, where VersAbility Resources calls its homebase, is experiencing a defining moment of economic momentum.
Across the region, advanced manufacturing is expanding. Shipbuilding demand continues to rise. Logistics and port operations are scaling to meet global supply chain needs. Investments tied to offshore wind and emerging energy technologies are reshaping the future of work along Virginia’s coast.
Simply put, Hampton Roads is attracting projects, investment, and global attention.
For that momentum to continue, however, the region’s talent pipeline must grow alongside it.
Companies are ready to hire and expand. What they need now are skilled workers prepared to step confidently into critical roles.
That is the regional need VersAbility TECH was designed to meet.
Training Built Around Real Jobs
VersAbility TECH, a division of VersAbility Resources, is a workforce training initiative designed to prepare individuals of all abilities for high-demand careers through hands-on, industry-aligned credential programs.
Participants gain practical experience and recognized certifications in areas such as forklift operation and material handling, welding and manufacturing, technology career pathways, and workplace safety and readiness.
The goal is straightforward: training that leads directly to employment.
Programs are developed in close alignment with employer needs so participants graduate with credentials that companies recognize and value. This model helps close one of the most persistent gaps in workforce development — ensuring that training leads directly to job opportunity.
Equally important, the program expands access to those who may not follow traditional education pathways. By supporting individuals with disabilities and others seeking alternative career routes, VersAbility TECH strengthens both workforce participation and economic inclusion.
Through initiatives like the Hampton Roads Playbook, leaders have aligned around several high-growth industry sectors shaping the region’s future, including defense and shipbuilding, clean energy, aerospace innovation, and logistics tied to the Port of Virginia.
Major investments continue to reinforce this momentum. Projects such as LS GreenLink’s major manufacturing investment demonstrate growing global confidence in Hampton Roads as a hub for energy infrastructure and advanced production.
As facilities expand and new companies arrive, the opportunity is clear: strengthen the region’s talent pipeline to match its economic growth.
Employers today are not simply looking for applicants. They are looking for individuals who arrive with verified skills, safety training, and recognized credentials that allow them to contribute from day one.
Workforce development has moved beyond long-range planning. It has become an essential part of day-to-day economic competitiveness.
Unlocking Talent Across the Region
At the same time, Hampton Roads has tremendous untapped potential within its own communities.
Across the region are adults seeking retraining after career transitions, individuals pursuing stable careers without a four-year degree, and people with disabilities eager to contribute their talents in competitive workplaces.
Employers are increasingly committed to building diverse and dynamic teams. What they need are stronger systems that connect motivated individuals with meaningful career pathways.
Rather than simply adding another training program, VersAbility TECH focuses on building stronger connections between people, skills, and employers — creating pathways that are practical, inclusive, and directly aligned with workforce needs.
Workforce Strategy for the Region’s Future
VersAbility Resources has long focused on empowering people with disabilities through employment, independence, and community engagement. VersAbility TECH builds on that mission while responding to the evolving workforce needs of Hampton Roads.
The initiative represents more than a training program. It is part of a broader workforce strategy.
Strong workforce systems create benefits across the region. Individuals gain access to stable and meaningful careers. Employers gain reliable pipelines of skilled workers. Communities see stronger economic mobility. And the region becomes even more competitive for future investment.
Economic developers often say that workforce readiness is one of the most important factors companies consider when deciding where to locate or expand.
By preparing job-ready talent and expanding access to opportunity, VersAbility TECH strengthens Hampton Roads’ ability to compete — and thrive.
Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
Hampton Roads stands at an exciting point in its economic story. Investment is growing, industries are evolving and demand for skilled workers will only increase in the years ahead.
Meeting that demand will require workforce systems that are flexible, inclusive, and closely aligned with real employer needs.
VersAbility TECH represents a forward-looking approach — one that connects people to opportunity while strengthening the economic future of the entire region.
Because when workforce development works, businesses grow, communities prosper, and more individuals gain the chance to build meaningful careers.
And in Hampton Roads, that future is already taking shape.
When people think about workforce readiness, one question often comes first: What kind of learning truly prepares students for real jobs?
For students preparing to enter today’s workforce — including students with disabilities —the answer is increasingly clear. Hands-on training plays a critical role in building skills, confidence and long-term success.
Through training programs offered by VersAbility TECH, experiential learning provides opportunities to learn by doing, turning potential into practical, employable skills. Building on VersAbility’s long-standing commitment to supporting people of all abilities, the program delivers inclusive training designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of leaners.
Learning by Doing Builds Real-World Skills
Hands-on training allows students to engage directly with tools, equipment and real workplace scenarios. Rather than relying solely on lectures or textbooks, students practice tasks they are likely to encounter on the job.
This approach helps learners:
Understand how tasks are performed in real work environments
Develop muscle memory and technical proficiency
Improve problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Retain information more effectively
For many students – including those with disabilities – active learning removes barriers that traditional classroom instruction may create.
Confidence Grows Through Experience
Confidence is a key component of employment success. Hands-on training helps students build confidence by allowing them to master tasks step by step in a supportive environment.
As students complete training milestones, they gain:
A sense of accomplishment
Increased independence
Trust in their own abilities
Motivation to pursue employment opportunities
These outcomes are meaningful not only for students, but for families who want to see their loved one succeed at work, and in everyday life.
Inclusive Training Meets Students Where They Are
Hands-on learning environments can be adapted to support a wide range of learning styles, physical abilities and communication needs. Training can be paced appropriately, reinforced through repetition and supported with visual, verbal or physical cues.
This flexibility helps ensure that:
Students are not rushed or overwhelmed
Skills are learned safely and effectively
Individual strengths are recognized and built upon
Inclusive, experiential training acknowledges that there is no single path to success, and that every learner benefits from instruction designed with accessibility in mind.
Preparation for High-Demand Careers
Employers consistently seek candidates who are ready to contribute on day one. Hands-on training prepares students for this expectation by exposing them to workplace standards, safety requirements and professional routines.
These industries value reliability, safety awareness and practical skills, qualities that hands-on training helps develop.
Bridging the Gap Between Education and Employment
One of the greatest challenges facing students with disabilities is the transition from education to employment. Hands-on training helps bridge that gap by connecting learning directly to job outcomes.
Through structured training and workforce preparation, students gain:
Job-ready technical skills
Exposure to real workplace expectations
Resume-building experience
A clearer understanding of career pathways
Hands-on training is more than an instructional method. It is a pathway to confidence, independence and meaningful employment for students of all abilities.
Through VersAbility TECH, experiential learning helps ensure that every student has the opportunity to build skills that matter, prepare for high-demand careers and move toward a more independent future.
For individuals with disabilities, one goal often rises above all others: meaningful employment that builds confidence, independence and long-term stability.
Through VersAbility TECH, forklift certification offers a practical, achievable pathway toward that goal. While it may seem like a simple credential, forklift certification can be a powerful stepping stone into high-demand careers.
A Credential That’s Widely Recognized and Needed
Industries across Virginia – including warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, shipbuilding and logistics – depend on trained forklift operators to keep operations running safely and efficiently.
Forklift certification is a recognized workforce credential that demonstrates safety knowledge, technical competence, and job readiness. For individuals with disabilities, earning this certification provides a concrete achievement that translates directly into employment opportunities.
Building Confidence and Independence
Workforce training delivers more than technical skills. It fosters:
Increased self-confidence
Greater responsibility
Stronger workplace independence
Pride in achievement
Mastering equipment operation and meeting certification standards helps individuals see their own capabilities in a new light. That growth often extends beyond the workplace into everyday life.
Creating Pathways to Stable Employment
One of the biggest advantages of earning forklift certification is how versatile it can make one’s skillset. While many people picture forklift work within traditional warehouse settings, the reality is that certification helps you qualify for roles in industries you might not expect, including:
Manufacturing facilities
Retail supply chains
Port and logistics operations
Construction material yards
These roles are essential to the economy and often provide consistent hours, competitive wages and opportunities for advancement. For families planning for long-term financial stability and independence, these factors are significant.
Support Beyond the Certification
What makes VersAbility TECH different is not just the credential, it’s the support system. Participants receive:
Hands-on training in a supportive learning environment
Job readiness preparation
Resume and interview coaching
Connections to local employers
Ongoing encouragement and guidance
At VersAbility TECH, we see what happens when opportunity meets support. We see individuals gain skills. We see families feel hopeful. And we see careers begin.
For individuals with disabilities, forklift certification may be more than job training. It may be the start of long-term independence.
VersAbility Resources announced that TowneBank has made a transformational $500,000 investment to advance the expansion of VersAbility TECH (Train, Educate, Certify, Hire), an innovative, first-of-its-kind workforce hub designed to prepare people with disabilities alongside people of all abilities for high-demand careers in shipbuilding, cybersecurity, logistics and manufacturing.
The gift, one of the largest single donations in VersAbility’s history, underscores TowneBank’s deep commitment to strengthening inclusive workforce opportunities across the region. This historic investment will accelerate the development of VersAbility TECH, expanding the organization’s current training footprint into what will eventually become a 75,000-square-foot workforce training center, offering employer-aligned training pathways in welding, logistics, marine coatings and more. The center will use universal design principles to ensure full accessibility while strengthening the region’s talent pipeline through industry-recognized credentials.
VersAbility TECH currently operates several high-impact training programs — including welding, IT/cybersecurity and forklift certification — and TowneBank’s investment will help scale these offerings while creating new employer-aligned credentialing pathways in the future, building pathways to independence and long-term career success for the people it serves.
“This generous gift from TowneBank is a powerful investment in the future of employment for people with disabilities. VersAbility TECH will redefine what inclusive workforce development looks like in Hampton Roads,” said Kasia Grzelkowski, President and CEO of VersAbility Resources. “By preparing people with disabilities alongside people of all abilities for high-paying, in-demand careers, we are helping employers meet critical talent needs while opening doors to economic opportunity for thousands of individuals. TowneBank’s leadership and commitment to community will make a lasting impact for generations.”
The VersAbility TECH center itself comes at a pivotal time, as only 41% of Virginians with disabilities are currently employed, despite major workforce shortages in key industries.
VersAbility TECH will help close this talent gap by expanding training capacity, removing barriers to credentialing, aligning programs directly with employer needs, and creating a scalable regional model for inclusive workforce development.
“TowneBank is honored to support VersAbility Resources and the groundbreaking work they are doing to build a more inclusive and resilient workforce,” said Alexis Swann, President of TowneBank’s Peninsula and Williamsburg markets. “The VersAbility TECH center will help ensure that every individual – regardless of ability – has access to robust training and successful careers. We are proud to invest in a vision that strengthens families, meets the needs of employers, and supports the economic vitality of the Hampton Roads region.”
VersAbility has already demonstrated strong training capacity, graduating dozens of welders and offering weekly forklift certification as it prepares for the continued expansion of VersAbility TECH.
“Employers across Hampton Roads are seeking skilled talent, and people with disabilities represent an untapped workforce ready to contribute,” said Casey Roberts, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for VersAbility Resources. “TowneBank’s remarkable investment in VersAbility TECH accelerates our ability to meet this need head-on, aligning high-quality training with pressing workforce needs and creating long-term economic opportunity for individuals and businesses alike.”
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