Demographic Covariates and Disability Employment Services as Predictors of Career Development Outcomes among Young Black Men With Disabilities: A Hierarchical Logistic Regression Analysis

ABSTRACT The COVID‐19 pandemic and ongoing social justice movements have renewed attention to racial and disability‐related disparities in the United States. This study examined demographic factors and state vocational rehabilitation (VR) services as predictors of gainful employment among young Black men with disabilities in the post‐pandemic era and digital economy, using data from the 2023 Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report ( N = 14,583). Hierarchical logistic regression indicated that VR services including VR counseling, job‐seeking skills training, job placement, short‐term job support, supported employment, and rehabilitation technology were positively associated with employment outcomes, while low levels of education and low income were linked to poorer outcomes. Expanding access to educational training programs (e.g., general educational development [GED] preparation) and work‐related resources (e.g., occupational licenses) can incentivize VR clients to complete career and employment interventions. In an economy increasingly shaped by automation and artificial intelligence (AI), career and rehabilitation counselors must remain informed about labor market trends and guide clients toward stable, in‐demand occupations less vulnerable to automation and AI (e.g., skilled trades).