October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is encouraging employers to strengthen their workforces by hiring qualified people with disabilities
Tennessee’s unemployment rate stands at 7.3 percent, but the unemployment rate among adults with disabilities is even higher than that. About 450 people with disabilities work at Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, making the nonprofit one of Tennessee’s largest employers of people with disabilities.
“At Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, we know firsthand the benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workforce,” said Betty Johnson, vice president and chief people officer. “We believe that all people, including those with disabilities, need to be integrated into the workforce to make our economy stronger.”
Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee offers a program through Goodwill Career Solutions for people with disabilities who may need more time to adapt into the world of work. For individuals with a documented physical, mental or emotional disability, the Transitional Services Employment Program offers intensive job readiness services. Participants learn to work both independently and in a team environment and gain marketable skills. The Transitional Services Employment Program also provides up to three months of paid work training.
To schedule an appointment with a Transitional Employment staff member, visit goodwillcareersolutions.org.
Held each October, the U.S. Department of Labor commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. Goodwill stands with the U.S. Department of Labor and encourages companies and organizations to build more inclusive business cultures that value diversity and encourage leaders to recruit, hire, retain and advance qualified individuals with disabilities, which in the end will benefit everyone.
About Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
For more than 55 years Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has provided job training and job placement free of charge to people with disabilities or other barriers to employment through the sale of donated items. In 2013, Goodwill served 17,498 people in Middle and West Tennessee and placed 5,615 people in jobs. For more information about Goodwill’s Career Solutions, retail stores and donation centers, please visit www.giveit2goodwill.org or call 1-800-545-9231.
