Education And Job Training With The Ticket To Work Program

Last Updated: 10/28/2026

Returning to work after receiving disability benefits does not always mean going back to the same career. Your abilities, interests and goals may have changed, or your previous work may no longer be a good fit. Education and job training can provide a way to build new skills and prepare for a different type of employment.

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket To Work (TTW) Program offers free, voluntary employment services to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. Through approved service providers, you can access support to help prepare for, find and maintain employment.

Understanding how education and job training relate to your career goals, what services may be available and how employment could affect your benefits can help you plan for your next step.

How To Identify The Education & Job Training You Might Need

Education and job training can help you qualify for a new position, develop skills for a career change or prepare to return to work after time away from employment. The type of preparation that makes sense depends on the job you want and the qualifications you already have.

Career exploration is a good starting point. Consider the type of work that interests you, the skills you bring from previous jobs and the requirements of occupations you may want to pursue. For example, a career change might involve learning new computer software, developing technical skills or earning an industry certification. Other positions may put more emphasis on practical experience or transferable skills.

Your existing education and work history can help you identify what you already bring to a new role and where additional preparation may be useful. Understanding those requirements can help you determine whether formal education, specialized training or another type of employment support fits your goals.

How Ticket To Work Can Support Your Career Preparation

Through TTW, you can work with an approved provider, such as an Employment Network (EN) or state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency. The provider's role is to help you work toward your employment goals, although the services available depend on the organization and your individual needs.

State VR agencies may offer a range of rehabilitation, training and employment services, while ENs provide employment-related services and ongoing support to help Ticket to Work participants reach their work goals.

These services can complement education or training. For example, after completing a certification, you may need help identifying jobs that use your new skills, presenting your qualifications to employers or preparing for interviews. If additional training is not necessary for your desired role, employment services may instead help you identify opportunities that match your existing experience.

How Employment Networks Can Help

Preparing for a new career can involve more than education or job training. You may also need help identifying employment opportunities, presenting your existing skills to employers and preparing for the transition back to work.

An Employment Network like Allsup Employment Services (AES) provides support services through the TTW Program to help you work toward your employment goals.

Depending on the EN, services may include:

• Benefits counseling to understand how employment may affect your disability benefits.
• Resume development to highlight your existing skills and experience.
• Job-search assistance to identify opportunities that align with your interests and abilities.
• Guidance on requesting workplace accommodations.
• Interview preparation to help you communicate your qualifications to employers.
• Ongoing employment support as you adjust to a new job.

Working with an EN can provide support at different stages of your job search. If you are considering a career change, an EN can help you identify transferable skills from previous jobs, explore employment options that align with your strengths and goals and prepare to present your qualifications to employers.

These services can work alongside education or job training by helping you connect the skills you develop with potential employment opportunities. Finding an EN whose services align with your goals can help you identify the support available as you prepare for employment and work toward greater financial independence.

How Ticket To Work Helps Protect Benefits

Considering education or job training may also raise questions about what happens to your disability benefits when you begin earning income. Working with an EN through the TTW Program can help you understand the resources available as you consider working.

SSA offers work incentives that allow you to explore employment without losing your benefits immediately. For example:

• Twelve Months—Trial Work Period (TWP): Test your ability to work for up to nine nonconsecutive months plus a three-month grace period while still receiving your full benefits, no matter how much you earn. The TWP can be completed during a 60-month window.
• Thirty-Six Months—Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): After the TWP, the SSA evaluates your monthly earnings for 36 months to determine whether they meet Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) levels. If earnings fall below the SGA threshold in a given month (2026: $1,690 nonblind, $2,830 blind), SSDI benefits are paid.
• Sixty Months—Expedited Reinstatement (EXR): If your disability makes it impossible to continue working after your SSDI payments have stopped, you can request that your benefits be reinstated without filing a new application. You have 60 months after benefits end to request this.
• Ninety-Three Months—Medicare Continuation: Even if your SSDI benefits stop, you can keep your Medicare coverage for more than seven years after your TWP ends.

Understanding these rules can help you consider education, training and employment with a clearer picture of how your benefits may be affected. But you don’t have to figure it out alone—your EN can walk you through the different work incentives and how they apply to you.

Returning To Work With Allsup Employment Services

Allsup Employment Services (AES) is an SSA-authorized EN for the TTW Program. We have over 12 years of experience helping thousands return to work successfully. We can help guide you through the SSDI work incentives on your return-to-work journey.

The TTW Program helps you protect your SSA disability benefits, and working with AES you can:

• Earn More. Make as much income as you choose during the Trial Work Period and protect your full SSDI benefits.
• Stress Less. Avoid medical disability reviews and the worry that comes with them.
• Keep Medicare. While working, you can keep Medicare for over seven years.
• Avoid Risk. If you stop working anytime within five years, your SSDI benefits can resume through a reinstatement process.
• Pay Nothing. As a Social Security-authorized Employment Network, our services are provided at no cost.

Choosing AES means working with an EN who’s focused on your goals and will work with you every step of the way.

Get Started With No Cost And No Obligation

You can reach Allsup Employment Services today by calling 866-540-5105 or requesting a call.