The Hiring Edge: Disability Job Search Panel Comes to Centennial October 15

CENTENNIAL, CO — Job seekers with disabilities across the south metro get a morning with four people who work on disability employment for a living on Thursday, October 15, when Arapahoe/Douglas Works! hosts The Hiring Edge, an in-person panel at The Village Workspace off South Havana Street. The session runs 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and is built around three things that decide whether a search turns into a paycheck: job search strategy, inclusive hiring and self-advocacy.

A two-hour panel in Centennial, timed to National Disability Employment Awareness Month, with experts from the state's disability office, vocational rehabilitation, the Blind Institute of Technology and the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce.

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📍 At a Glance

Event	The Hiring Edge (In-Person)
Date	Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time	9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location	The Village Workspace, 7173 S. Havana St., #100, Centennial, CO 80112
Format	In-person panel discussion with audience questions
Host	Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
Registration	Through Connecting Colorado; questions can be submitted in advance
Eligibility	Geared to job seekers with disabilities
Questions	Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, 303.636.1160

⚠️ Read This Before You Go: It's a Panel, Not a Job Fair

Be clear about what this morning is. The Hiring Edge is an interactive panel discussion, not a room full of recruiters. The host's listing names no employers interviewing on site and no openings being filled that day, so leave the stack of 30 resumes at home. What you get instead is time with people who know how Colorado employers handle accommodations, disclosure and accessible hiring, plus the chance to ask your own question in front of them.

Registered attendees can send questions ahead of time, which is worth doing if your question is specific: how to talk about a gap in your work history, when to bring up an accommodation, or how to judge whether a company's "inclusive employer" language holds up.

🏆 Who's on the Panel

Alison Butler, Senior Disability Policy Advisor, Colorado Disability Opportunity Office
Kristy Schenderlein, VP of Operations, Blind Institute of Technology
Ellis Blevins, Workforce Committee Chair, Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce
Renee Romero, Manager, Disability Program Navigator, Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

That lineup covers the policy side, the tech-workforce side, the neurodivergent job seeker and the state program that helps people with disabilities prepare for, find and keep jobs. If you are not already working with vocational rehabilitation, Romero's seat on the panel is a good reason to come.

📋 How to Show Up Ready

Register first. Full details and the registration path are on the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! event page, which points to Connecting Colorado.
Write down one or two questions and submit them early.
Bring a notebook and a current resume in case a panelist offers a follow-up conversation.
If you need an accommodation to attend, call 303.636.1160 ahead of time.

Want Recruiters in the Room? Other Dates on the Calendar

Different event, different goal. If you want employers hiring on the spot, Aurora Public Schools holds a walk-in hiring event on Thursday, October 22, and Kelly Education is recruiting substitutes and paraprofessionals. Our school jobs hiring events guide has the times and addresses, and the Denver fall job fairs guide tracks everything else on the metro calendar.

🔎 Where to Aim Your Search

Large employers and public agencies tend to have the most developed accommodation processes, and plenty of office, customer-facing and tech roles in the south metro work well with flexible or remote setups. Start here:

FAQ

Is The Hiring Edge a job fair?

No. It is a panel discussion on job search strategy, inclusive hiring and self-advocacy. The listing does not mention employers recruiting on site.

When and where is it?

Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at The Village Workspace, 7173 S. Havana St., #100, in Centennial.

How do I register?

Through Connecting Colorado, linked from the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! event page. Call 303.636.1160 with questions.

Does it cost anything?

The host's listing does not mention a fee. Confirm when you register.

Can I ask a question if I'm nervous about speaking up?

Yes. Registered attendees can submit questions in advance, so you can get an answer without asking it out loud.

Take the Next Step in Your Search

Whatever you hear on October 15, put it to work right away. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get new Denver-area listings as they post, and browse the Career Center for field-by-field guides.

Employers: Building a more accessible hiring process? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach job seekers across the metro.