Finding the Right Path: Steve’s Story

Getting back into the workforce after a significant gap in employment can be challenging. For some, life circumstances such as parenthood or illness can cause one to be out of work for a longer period of time. For employU client Steve, the effect his past work experiences had on his anxiety was the cause. Before coming to employU, Steve had worked and gained experience. However, when changes were made within the management staff, understandings of his duties and accommodations would also change. This forced Steve to constantly advocate for himself and adjust to the changes made, making his work environment stressful.  

After being out of work for ten years, Steve went to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) for help getting back into the workforce. From there, he was referred to employU’s Discovery program. Discovery is a process where we look beyond the disability and instead focus on the known skills of the client to help find what path would be the best for the job seeker to become successful in their employment. Though Steve’s prior work experience was in the retail industry, Steve’s job coach, Jeff, found that Steve works best in a warehouse setting where he does not have to work directly with customers. This work setting also allows his attention to detail to be used when working with newly completed products.  

The next step was to get Steve an On-the-Job-Training (OJT) to ensure, before he started his job, this would be the best fit. Steve started a two-month OJT at Artistry in Mosaic. Working in the kiln room and with product packaging, Steve became more confident performing his job duties over the course of the OJT. The managers at Artistry contributed to this greatly by reassuring him and making it known that he was a welcomed member of the team.  

Upon completing his OJT, Steve was offered a permanent position. He accepted, enjoying the freedom to work at his pace and knowing that he is able to complete the tasks put before him. With this new career path ahead of him, Steve hopes to get his own place and a new car. We are honored to have been a part of Steve’s employment journey and are sure that with his determination and strong work ethic, he will continue to experience success.  

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