This program offers pre-employment transition services to blind students by providing exposure to educational seminars, advocacy, and training.
National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention
JW Marriott Austin
Austin, Texas
July 3–July 8, 2026
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Introduction
We have developed the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Career Quest, a program specifically designed to provide pre-employment transition services to blind and low-vision students.
The Career Quest program is a week-long immersive experience where students will actively engage in a supportive environment of insightful presentations, educational seminars, innovative services, quality training, and social and professional networking that will assist them to obtain competitive integrated employment in the career of their choice.
The annual convention of the NFB offers a unique opportunity for blind students to take advantage of a broad range of pre-employment transition services and to immerse themselves in an exceptional, concentrated environment of programming, products, and services for the blind only available at the convention.
Overview of (Pre-ETS)
Instruction in Self-Advocacy
As the most transformative membership organization of the blind in the country, the NFB is well known for our grassroots advocacy toward living the lives we want. Through each meeting, presentation, and interaction, we actively teach each other how to advocate for our rights as citizens while reinforcing our obligation to be responsible, fully participating members of society. Advocacy is at the core of everything we do.
Job Exploration Counseling
Our employment seminar consists of presentations from blind people employed in a spectrum of jobs, employers with helpful information about onboarding strategies, and technology developers with information on current workplace technologies. Attendees are provided with job exploration counseling from these different perspectives.
Our career fair allows the students to interact with potential employers and get direct feedback on their qualifications. In addition, through other sessions, students are able to gain valuable insight into the specific nonvisual skills that need to be mastered to obtain employment in a specific job by interacting with a blind adult with actual experience in that field of work.
Counseling on Opportunities for Enrollment in Comprehensive Transition or Postsecondary Educational Programs
In addition to other sessions designed for blind and low vision students, the meeting of the NFB’s National Association of Blind Students (NABS) is the largest gathering of blind students in the country.
Participants attending this meeting will hear and learn from student presentations about their challenges and successes and will receive information from education professionals about post-secondary services available to blind students. Moreover, the peer mentoring relationships that evolve from this experience become lifelong networking relationships.
Workplace Readiness Training to Develop Social Skills and Independent Living
Our convention is an incubator for the development and enhancement of social skills. This large, diverse gathering of people tests the student’s ability to interact with a variety of personalities. Moreover, the convention is a supportive environment of individuals willing and ready to assist blind and low-vision youth to learn from the experience in a manner that enables the students to develop their own styles.
Sessions conducted by professionals from our premier adult rehabilitation training centers provide students with information about the alternative skills of blindness important to master to optimize their potential for success.
Work-Based Learning Experiences
There are potential opportunities for students to gain work-based learning experience through an assortment of assignments during the annual convention. These positions encompass a range of skill sets and interests, such as sales, customer service, logistics, etc. Also, many of our corporate and governmental partners use the NFB’s annual convention to scout for interns for their organizations.
Logistics
Prior to attending the convention, each student will be assigned a Career Quest Curriculum (CQC) describing which sessions and activities the student will attend throughout the convention. The students' experience will be facilitated by a group of blind adult mentors who will monitor their progress and provide the students with appropriate support and guidance throughout the convention.
Students and mentors will meet each morning to discuss the daily objectives and to debrief experiences from the previous day. Moreover, the students will be responsible for journaling at the end of each day to document their experiences.
The cost per student to participate in this formalized week-long experience is 4,900 dollars, and the student must be at least eighteen years old.
Deliverables
At the end of the experience, each student will provide a career quest experience summary that consists of:
- A career quest journal
- A post-secondary goal road map
- A career track statement
- A mentor network
- A post-seminar survey
Conclusion
The National Federation of the Blind's Career Quest program, through the annual National Convention, offers a comprehensive Pre-Employment Transition Service tailored for blind students, preparing them for future career opportunities.
This immersive week-long program not only gives students exposure to vital presentations and training but also offers practical experiences ranging from networking to policy analysis.
Each participant is meticulously guided and monitored through a variety of interactive workshops and experiences, ensuring they derive maximum benefit from the seminar. By the end, students leave equipped with valuable tools and resources, such as a career journal and mentor network, setting them on a definitive path towards successful integrated employment.
Application
To reserve a spot, please complete the Career Quest Interest Application. The deadline to complete is May 1, 2026.
More Information
For questions, please contact Employment Program Coordinator, Nikki Jackson at [email protected] or 410-659-9314 extension 2404.