Melwood Receives $125,000 Grant from Capital One for abilIT Job Training and Development Program for People with Disabilities

January 10, 2023

Capital One provides $125,000 in grant funding for Melwood’s abilIT program, helping to expand pathways for people with disabilities into the IT sector

Upper Marlboro, Md. – Melwood, a leading employer, advocate and preferred provider for people with disabilities, has received a $125,000 grant from Capital One to fund its abiliIT program, which prepares people with disabilities to enter careers in technology and meet growing IT workforce demands.

In partnership with Cybrary, a leading cybersecurity course developer, Melwood’s abilIT program leads participants through a 14-week intensive training program consisting of both professional and technical skills development. With approximately 350,000 unfilled positions in the computer science industry, the demand for entry-level technology employees has reached an all-time high. The abilIT program seeks to address these workforce shortages by leveraging the untapped potential and talent of people with disabilities, who are often underemployed.

“We were overwhelmed to receive this generous grant from Capital One so that we can continue to empower more people with disabilities to pursue a career of their choice, with opportunities for development, advancement and independence,” said Larysa Kautz, president and CEO of Melwood. “This partnership with Capital One will allow us to continue to grow the tech workforce, while partnering with organizations to expand their candidate pipelines and build teams that include people with disabilities. At Melwood, our vision is a world that fully includes people with disabilities, and we’re inspired by Capital One’s leadership in making such a significant investment to support true economic empowerment and inclusion.”

“Technology is rapidly changing our world and unleashing new opportunities and economic growth,” says Dan Cross, senior manager, recruiting and national co-lead for the capabilities business resource group at Capital One. “Capital One is proud to invest in Melwood’s innovative abilIT program to further close the opportunity gap and invest in diverse talent to spur well-being in our communities.”

In addition to its job training component, Melwood works with employers through the abilIT program to educate leaders and managers on the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce. Melwood partners with companies to build pipelines and train teams on how to create more inclusive environments where every employee is set up for success. Since the program’s start, over 200 participants have graduated with 75% having found employment or internships or entered post-secondary education/training programs within nine months of completion. Some graduates from abilIT work for industry leaders such as MITRE, General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. (GDIT), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and KPMG to name a few. To learn more about Melwood’s abilIT program, click here.