Tri-County Workforce Investment Board Focuses on Jobs for People With Disabilities

Ceremonies Mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month

UPDATE: See local photos from National Disability Mentoring Day - October 20, 2004.

October 2004: With events planned across the tri-county region, the Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties will celebrate October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao recently announced that the theme of the month is, “You’re Hired! Success Knows No Limitations!”

"Individuals with disabilities are a tremendously powerful part of our potential workforce. Increasing job opportunities for every individual is critical to economic development. We believe that every resident of our tri-county region should have access to opportunities for full and productive employment,” said WIB Executive Director Alice J. Savino. “As our economy grows new jobs, we want individuals with untapped talents to have the ability to share in that growth. Through this focus on employment for individuals with disabilities, we can attract the employers of the region to understand the tremendous benefits that accompany hiring an individual with a disability.”

The major events planned for the month include receptions to honor Working Solutions partners that have shown outstanding efforts to help people with disabilities find employment. The first reception is scheduled from Noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, October 8th, at Madison County’s Working Solutions Center, located at 1006 Oneida Plaza Drive in Oneida.

Similar receptions are planned as follows:

• Working Solutions Center in Utica, located on the Second Floor of the State Office Building, 207 Genesee Street: Noon-2 p.m., October 15th;
• Working Solutions Center in Rome, located at 252 West Dominick Street: 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., October 19th
• Working Solutions Center in Herkimer, located at 320 North Prospect Street, Herkimer: 2p.m.-4 p.m., October 28th.

The WIB is currently operating two projects designed to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Both are funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Labor. The WIB’s Work Incentive Grant created Service Navigators in the regions four Working Solutions Centers to improve services to customers with disabilities. The WIB’s Customized Employment Grant is working with a broad array of community partners to develop new strategies and systems that will open new doors for people with disabilities who want competitive, challenging jobs.

"Through these two projects, we are helping people with disabilities increase their ability to find and retain employment,” said WIB Chair Robin O’Brien. “Even more than that, we are helping both these valuable people and our employer community understand that a person with disabilities can be a valuable contributor to the workplace.”

Savino said that both regionally and nationally, between 50 and 60 percent of people with disabilities are unemployed. “At a time when our workforce needs the talents of every person, we need to look beyond traditional approaches and create win-win situations for both employers and workers,” she said.

Savino said the Customized Employment Grant involves asking employers to look at jobs in a whole new way. “Customized employment involves getting to know the person and the unique skills and talents that he or she can bring to a community business,” Savino said. “Once these skills, talents, and interests are identified, employers can be approached, and a customized job negotiated that is of benefit to both the job seeker and the business.”

Savino urged employers interested in learning more about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities to contact her at 793-6037.