What is Next Steps at Vanderbilt?
Next Steps at Vanderbilt is a four-year inclusive higher education program committed to providing neurodiverse students with a postsecondary education in academics, social and career development, and independent living. Next Steps began in 2010 and was the first program of its kind in the state of Tennessee. There are now nine inclusive higher education programs on community, public, and private college campuses across the state, which have been launched with support of the TN Inclusive Higher Education Alliance and the The TN Believes Grant through the Department of Disability and Aging.
How is the program structured?
Students attending Next Steps at Vanderbilt engage in campus and career experiences and complete an individualized program of study with audited Vanderbilt courses and additional coursework around advocacy, building social capital, and career development. With an alumni employment rate exceeding 95%, Next Steps prepares students for the workforce through hands-on career exploration, internships, part-time work, and registered apprenticeships throughout their four years.
In 2021, Next Steps piloted a registered apprenticeship in Early Childhood Education in partnership with The Acorn School and with support from Apprenticeship TN. Building on the success of this apprenticeship model within the program, Next Steps received an Apprenticeship Building America-2 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand registered apprenticeships for students with intellectual disability.
What types of partners is the program seeking?
Next Steps is always seeking interested employer partners to expand the scope of its work through new internships, employment, and apprenticeships. Within the scope of Next Step’s apprenticeship grant, Next Steps is piloting new registered apprenticeships in hospitality, information technology, healthcare, and the public sector and is seeking interested employer partners.
Call to Action
Next Steps is also conducting a study to examine employer perspectives on current workforce trends, apprenticeship programs, and hiring people with intellectual disability. If you work in Middle TN and have supervisory or hiring responsibilities within your role, Next Steps would love to hear from you through a short Zoom interview. Your feedback will help shape the scope of this work to ensure it aligns with the needs of Nashville businesses.
You can express interest through the link here: https://redcap.link/aveaha4y.
How to Connect
For further information on how to partner with Next Steps at Vanderbilt, you can contact Megan Macon, the Director of Career Development and Apprenticeships, at megan.macon@vanderbilt.edu or 615-875-6318.
To learn more about our programming, you can also see our Annual Report from the 2024-2025 year.
