Hi Gdorfus,

Good for you! I assume that you are going through the Ticket to Work program?

I was on SSDI for 10 years for depression. I had been a software engineer - but the computer industry was too stressful for me so I needed to change careers. I signed up for Ticket to Work and they sent me to VR. They gave me a battery of tests. Not like school tests really, they were looking for other things like dexterity and spatial awareness (not my best quality!!). They put all my results into a vocational analyzer and came up with a list of careers that I should consider. Some (even at the very top) were ridiculous, but some were possible. All in all, it gives you a list to start from. When I went in I already knew that I wanted to be a librarian. I already had a masters in computer science, and you need a masters in library science for jobs like library director (which was my goal). VR actually paid for my degree (My understanding is that they don't usually pay for college degrees - they might have paid for mine because I already had a masters. Perhaps they won't pay for a level of education beyond where you are, but they will match where you are). I did get a job as a library director, and I've been working for 7 years now.

Some important things about Ticket to Work: For me, it was important to know that people had faith in me and would help me; that support really made a difference. They suspend your medical reviews while you are working towards your goal, which means that you can allow yourself to get better without worrying about being kicked off and losing your benefits (this only holds as long as you are making progress towards your goal).

It took me 3 years to complete my degree and get a job.

The VR process is interesting. It is not judgmental. They want to know what your talents and interests are so they can help you find a career or job that will work well for you. So my advice is to be open and honest so they can best help you.

Let me know how it goes!