For Agencies, Providers & Workforce Programs

Workforce credentials
built by and with
the disability community.
Ready to sponsor.

Skills Lab is a cohort-based certification program in networking, project planning, workplace technology, job search, and risk management. Plain-language by design, accessible from day one, and built to drop into the caseloads, budgets, and reporting cycles your team already runs.

Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Service Providers Centers for Independent Living DD Community Transition Programs

5

Certification Courses

31

Plain-Language Modules

5+

Volume Discounts

100%

WCAG-Accessible

A provider leadership team collaborating around a table with laptops and notebooks, planning a cohort deployment

Employment First & CIE-Aligned
Designed to count toward Pre-ETS, ILP, and placement milestones

Page 5 includes a ready-to-forward internal review kit Copy-paste email to your supervisor, pre-answered buyer Q&A, a 90-word concept note, and a $199 pilot option. Everything your team needs to move from "interesting" to approved — without writing a word.

Book a 20-min demo →

What Appears Distinctive About Skills Lab

Three design choices that separate it from generic workforce-readiness content.

Skillsets, Not One-Off Awareness

Networking, planning, tech, job search, and risk management are taught as repeatable, teachable skillsets with structured modules, learner checks, and real workplace examples.

Plain Language is the Design Standard

Written by and with the disability community. Terms defined on the page. WCAG 2.1 AA, screen-reader tested, captioned by default. Accommodations are baked in, not retrofitted.

Verifiable Credential Per Course

Each course ends with a certificate and digital badge. Counts as a measurable Pre-ETS, IPE, or CIE milestone for case files and agency reporting.

Five Live Certification Courses · $199 per Learner · Volume Pricing at 5+ Seats

Every course is cohort-based and ends with a certificate and digital badge.

Networking as a Skillset 6 Modules

Treats networking as a teachable skill, not insider knowledge, and starts with relationships learners already have.

Participants will be able to start professional conversations, recognize existing supports, build a referral network, follow up with confidence, and take practical first steps in relationship-building for school, work, and community life.

Project Planning as a Skillset 6 Modules

Makes professional planning accessible by teaching vocabulary, steps, and simple tools learners can use across school, work, and daily life.

Participants will be able to break a complex task into a plan with scope, schedule, and communication, use practical organization tools, and apply planning vocabulary in work and classroom settings.

Tech & AI at Work 6 Modules

Teaches workplace tech and introductory AI as connected skills, helping learners choose the right tool for the job instead of using tools randomly.

Participants will be able to use email, chat, documents, virtual meetings, and common AI tools responsibly; communicate professionally; stay organized; and check AI outputs rather than over-trust them.

Job Search: A Career Search Skillset 7 Modules

Treats job search as a skill learners can build, practice, and improve, not a one-time task.

Participants will be able to identify their strengths and career assets, choose work goals and target jobs, build job search tools, find opportunities through search and networking, and apply, interview, and follow up in an organized way.

Risk Management 6 Modules

Teaches risk as something to understand and plan for, not fear, using tools learners can apply right away.

Participants will be able to identify risks early, assess and prioritize them, respond with confidence, and use practical tools like a Risk Log to stay organized and prepared.

Coming Soon Quality at Work 8 modules · Delivering Work That Meets Standards Pre-register at forwardworks.net

Five Buyer Segments · Language Your Team Can Forward Without Rewriting

VR Agencies

Vocational Rehab

Counselor-authorized, fits IPE
Readiness & confidence focus

CRP / ESP

Employment Providers

Complements existing services
Bulk pricing at 5+ seats

CILs

Independent Living

Consumer-directed, ILP-compatible
Independence & self-direction

DD Community

DD & State Programs

Statewide cohorts
Employment First-aligned

LEAs / Transition

Transition & Pre-ETS

Counts toward Pre-ETS activities
Classroom-to-work readiness

What You Receive · Per Cohort

Cohort Programming

Live + Recorded Sessions

2 live sessions per week
Plain-language curriculum
Captioned, screen-reader tested

Onboarding

Same-Day LMS Access

Roster upload or self-enroll codes
Welcome emails to learners
Accommodations in-platform

Records

Reporting You Can File

Per-learner attendance log
Completion date by course
Verifiable credential link

Closeout

Documentation Package

Cohort summary letter
Framework alignment letter
Invoice in your format

Cohort at a Glance & Procurement Ready · Logistics + No Vendor Setup Friction

6–8weeks per cohort · predictable runway for case planning

2–3hrs / week per learner · 2 live sessions + self-paced

8–25learners per cohort · right-sized for facilitator support

Rollingstart dates · new cohorts each month, no long wait

We're structured to be paid the way government-adjacent organizations actually pay. W-9, COI, and SAM.gov registration are on file. If your agency requires a Master Services Agreement before authorizing a purchase, we have a standard template ready to execute. No procurement bottlenecks on our end.

SBA WOSB Certified

Women-Owned Small Business. Counts toward diversity spend requirements where applicable.

SAM.gov Registered

Active federal vendor registration. Required by many state and federally-funded programs.

W-9 on File

Ready to send on request. No delay at the accounts payable step.

MSA-Ready

Standard Master Services Agreement available if your procurement team requires a contract framework before authorizing a purchase.

COI Available

Certificate of Insurance on request for vendor onboarding and credentialing requirements.

References on Request

Program references available for vendor qualification and due diligence processes.

Alignment with Federal & State Frameworks · Maps to the Four Policy Levers

WIOA Title IV

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Supports the Workplace Readiness Training and Self-Advocacy required activity areas.

State VR

IPE Services & Milestone Authorization

Counselor-authorized seats fit the Individualized Plan for Employment model. Verifiable credential at completion.

Employment First

Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)

Builds skillsets employers cite as gaps in entry-level talent. Built around the CIE-first stance.

HCBS / Waiver

Supported Employment & Pre-Voc Services

Strong fit as a prevocational or supported employment activity where waivers allow skill-building.

Pricing & Payment · Per Learner · Per Course · Five Payment Methods

Per Learner · Per Course · Any Course

$199

flat rate · no hidden fees · cancel before kickoff

Volume pricing available at 5+ seats Ask for an agency-specific quote at your demo. No minimums required to get started.

Five Ways to Pay

Credit CardStripe checkout

Invoice Net-30ACH or check

Purchase OrderVendor-setup ready

VR AuthorizationCounselor-authorized

Waiver / HCBSState flexibility

How to Sponsor in Four Steps · Low-Lift For Your Team · We Run the Cohort

★ Lowest-Risk Next Step

Pilot one seat for $199 before scaling to a cohort.

Test the experience with a single client. No minimums. No long-term commitment. Free to cancel before kickoff.

Book a 20-min Demo → Email About a Pilot

If you're the person evaluating this for your organization: the content below is written so you can paste it directly into an internal email, concept note, or supervisor briefing. Every claim is grounded in the source program. No rewriting required.

Internal Forwarding Email · Paste Directly into Outlook or Gmail

FROM: [Your Name] · TO: [Program Lead / Supervisor / Procurement]

SUBJECT: Worth a look: Skills Lab cohort program for our caseload

I came across Skills Lab from ForwardWorks, a cohort-based workforce-readiness program that teaches five skillsets in plain language: networking, project planning, workplace tech and AI, job search, and risk management.

Three reasons it may be worth a 20-minute demo:

Plain-language content developed by and with the disability community; WCAG 2.1 AA accessible and captioned by default
Verifiable credential per course that can count as a measurable Pre-ETS, IPE, or CIE milestone for case files
WOSB-certified vendor, MSA-ready, and we can pilot one seat at $199 before scaling to a full cohort

It looks designed to complement our existing services rather than replace them. Low-risk next step: a 20-minute demo where they'll leave us with a working quote. If we want to test it before committing, a single-seat pilot is on the table.

Questions Your Supervisor Will Ask · Short Answers You Can Quote

How is this different from other workforce curricula?

Plain language is the design standard, not a retrofit. Each course is a structured set of modules with learner checks, built by and with the disability community.

How does this fit Pre-ETS or transition work?

Supports the Workplace Readiness Training and Self-Advocacy required activity areas. Produces a verifiable milestone for case files and reporting.

Can we pilot without committing to a cohort?

Yes. Sponsor one seat at $199. No minimums, no long-term commitment, free to cancel before kickoff.

How does procurement handle this vendor?

SBA WOSB, MSA-ready, COI on request, W-9 on file, SAM.gov registered. Accepts Net-30, PO, VR authorization, waiver / HCBS, or card.

90-Word Plain-Language Summary · For a Concept Note or Short Briefing

Copy directly into an internal document

Skills Lab is a cohort-based credentialing program that teaches five workforce skillsets in plain language: networking, project planning, workplace technology with introductory AI, job search, and risk management. Each course ends with a verifiable certificate and digital badge. Developed by and with the disability community, it is WCAG 2.1 AA accessible and captioned by default. It fits Pre-ETS, IPE, Employment First, and HCBS / waiver frameworks where applicable, and is designed to complement existing services, not replace them. Flat rate: $199 per learner, with volume pricing at five or more seats.