The Starkloff Career Academy is a unique program unlike any other. Becoming a Career Academy candidate means joining a community of professionals with disabilities who share their knowledge and resources with each other as they seek careers meaningful to them.

The Starkloff Career Academy is an intensive 10-week course that provides candidates the opportunity to discuss and disclose your disability, master the behavioral job interview, develop your public speaking skills, and increase your network on and offline. In addition, you will have the opportunity to practice with actual hiring managers from our corporate partners including Nestlé-Purina, Boeing, and Centene Corporation.

Candidates meet regularly with our Career Advisors for one-on-one career coaching. This includes resume and cover-letter writing, practice interviews, individualized career search planning, disclosure strategy planning and much more.

Candidates attend several special events throughout the year. Events include our Fall Forum and Spring Clean-Up. While many of these events are open to the public, Career Academy Candidates have access to individualized assistance to help them prepare and make the most of these events.

Bryan has Cerebral Palsy, and he uses a manual wheelchair to assist with his mobility disability. He started at the Career Academy with an MA in Human Resources Management from Webster University.

The Dream Big program strives to empower college and technical school-bound youth with disabilities to dream big about their future. The program aims to show students that they can do many things that their non-disabled peers can do, and they should not limit their career goals. By participating in Dream Big students will gain the confidence to explore different career paths and understanding of the steps necessary to successfully live independently as a person with a disability.

Access U is a program designed to empower college students with disabilities to develop professional skills and successfully begin their careers. Through one-on-one meetings, workshops, and events, students acquire the skills to become competitive job seekers. Students can receive personalized assistance regarding developing a disability disclosure plan, creating competitive resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, building professional networks, and more. Students who complete the Access U curriculum receive exclusive connections to SDI’s corporate partners offering internship and career opportunities.

At the Dream Big Career Camp, youth participants engage in educational activities aimed specifically at inclusion and independent living. Throughout the camp week, our staff present topics, such as disclosure, reasonable accommodations, and making the best choices for college and curricula. Career Camp participants also visit leading companies and learning centers to apply their learning. Now offered virtually!

Peter enjoyed the Dream Big program because it allowed him to explore many different job opportunities for people with disabilities at companies and corporations around St. Louis. He learned about several opportunities for internships as well.