OOD Staff at Washington State Community College for the 2016 State of the State
On Wednesday, in anticipation of Governor John Kasich’s
State of the State address that evening, cabinet directors and staff spent the
day in Marietta highlighting the positive impact state agencies are making in
Southeast Ohio.
OOD enjoyed a great day of events highlighting the variety
of ways we seek to accomplish our mission of quality employment and increased
independence for individuals with disabilities.
The events illustrated the many different ways OOD impacts the community.
A few examples include: business
engagement and disability awareness training for local businesses; vocational
rehabilitation and job retention services with students at WSCC; post-secondary
education and training; the Business Enterprise Program; and the Employment First partnership with DODD at a Kroger in
Marietta.
See below for details on these events and be sure to visit
our Facebook
photo album for more photos.
Kelly Jordan and Jon Hackathorn lead disability awreness training at Washington State Community College
We began the morning at Washington State Community College
(WSCC) with a disability awareness training being presented to local employers.
WSCC was then recognized for the
critical role they play in workforce development. We highlighted the impact
our programs are having in Marietta through the testimonials of individuals who
have benefited from OOD services.
Jon Hackathorn, OOD Business Relations Manager, and Kelly
Jordan, OOD Business Sourcing Analyst, presented disability awareness training
to Marietta employers. They also offered
an overview of the Employer Toolkit developed in collaboration with the Ohio
Department of Job and Family Services as part of the implementation of the
Workforce Integration Task Force recommendations. In addition to local employers, we were
excited to have members of the Marietta city council and the president of the
Marietta Chamber of Commerce participate in the workshop.
Director Kevin Miller, Amanda K. Herb, Vice President of Enrollment & Student Success at WSCC, and Dave Vandenberg, WSCC Board of Trustees
We also took a moment to recognize Washington State
Community College (WSCC) for being such a valuable partner in Marietta and
Southeast Ohio. Amanda K. Herb, Vice
President of Enrollment & Student Success at WSCC, and Dave Vandenberg, a
member of the Board of Trustees, were on hand to accept an award from OOD as
well as letters of commendation from both the Ohio House of Representatives and
the Ohio Senate.
The testimonial session that followed, highlighted the
variety of ways WSCC and OOD partner to serve individuals with disabilities:
- Dave Cunningham, the Business Enterprise Program
(BEP) vending operator on campus, spoke about the impact and opportunities of
being a small business owner through the BE program and revealed his new
vending machines that were rebranded & updated with new marketing.
- Steve Thomas, Marietta City Councilman and
adjunct professor at WSCC, spoke about how OOD assisted him in continuing to
work as his vision loss increased. He
also reflected on how his participation in OOD’s Consumer Advisory Committee
inspired him get involved with city council.
- Susan Pugh, Deputy Director of the Bureau of
Vocational Rehabilitation, highlighted how education and work are often
connected. Scott Havens graduated with
an Associates of Applied Business degree in Computer Graphics from WSCC in
2014. That same year he accepted a
position as a Marketing Assistant with WSCC.
In this role he helps with the creation of advertising materials,
manages social media accounts and works with co-workers to develop new
marketing strategies.
- Susan also noted the importance of focusing on
in-demand jobs and the training that is needed to succeed in those fields. Six current WSCC students receiving OOD
services were on hand to illustrate this important element. These students are pursuing careers in cybersecurity,
accounting, financial services, radiology and respiratory therapy.
These testimonials were a perfect illustration of not only
the impact of OOD at WSCC, and the importance of the partnership, but also of
the diversity of career paths individuals with disabilities may take to find
success.
Dave Cunningham and his wife with BEP staff at WSCC
As mentioned previously, Dave Cunningham is the BEP operator
at WSCC. BEP provides entrepreneurial
opportunities in vending and food service for individuals who are blind or
visually impaired in government buildings and at roadside rest stops.
While on the WSCC campus we were able to see the new
branding and marketing being developed for the BEP. The vending machines were “wrapped” with the
design and logo of the program and clearly communicated the connection between
the machines and OOD. During our visit
we were able to speak with students about the program. Few had made the connection between the vending
machines and BEP until the change in branding and our visit. It was great to educate the students on the
impact this business could have in the community.
Dave is a small business operator who has embraced
technology in ways that benefit students and his business. In particular, Dave requested (and OOD/ BEP
provided) credit/debit card readers to be placed on all of his vending
machines. This new system allows Dave to
track sales from home, saving him time and travel expenses. The new technology allows Dave to utilize a
“non-cash” pay App (Pay Range) on campus.
This system allows students, who may not have a debit or credit card, to
use a payment App on their smart phone to purchase drinks and snacks.
Superintendent Dennis Blatt and Director Miller at The Career Center
Along with key staff from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), we visited The Career Center of Washington County to learn more about how they prepare students, including individuals with disabilities, for careers. We also discussed the Ohio Transition Support Partnership (OTSP) between OOD and ODE aimed at more effectively assisting students with disabilities transition from school to work.
It was exciting to see how The Career Center aligns with the
vision of OOD and OTSP. Career Center
Superintendent Dennis Blatt and his staff clearly have a passion for helping
students successfully move from school to work.
Like OOD, they are focused on in-demand jobs and helping students gain
the skills and experience needed to obtain employment and begin a successful
career. A significant portion of their
student body is individuals with disabilities but they are integrated into the
classroom and program with great success.
We look forward to finding ways to increase our collaboration and
partnership with The Career Center as part of OTSP.
|
Director John Martin, DODD, Gary Coleman, store manager, Melanie Brown, Kroger employee, and Director Miller
Our last stop was at the Kroger in Marietta where we
recognized the store for its commitment to the Employment First partnership
between OOD and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). Director John Martin and I thanked the store
manager, Gary Coleman, for his commitment to hiring individuals based on their
abilities, not disabilities. Kroger
Employee Melanie Brown has worked at Kroger for 15 months and loves her job.
Kroger is committed to providing employment opportunities
for persons with disabilities, said Gary Coleman, manager of the Marietta store;
“we fill jobs based on ability.” Coleman
echoed what other companies have said about hiring individuals with
disabilities, they make excellent employees.
“They are dedicated, dependable and trustworthy” he added.
Kroger has been a great partner with OOD and with the
Employment First partnership. They offer
a variety of employment opportunities and usually have openings to fit the
skills of persons with disabilities and encourage them to apply for jobs. Kroger participates in their training and
works with their job coach. Kroger also
offers tuition reimbursement for education.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to
acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to
prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional
well-being of children and families. During
the month of April and throughout the year, communities are encouraged to share
child abuse and neglect prevention, awareness strategies and activities and
promote prevention across the country. To
raise awareness, ODJFS and the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund are organizing a
pinwheel selfie campaign. For more
information on this campaign please visit the ODJFS website at http://www.jfs.ohio.gov/octf/CAPM.stm.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Current
FFY2016
Individuals in Job Ready
Status: 3,441 3,626
(For county level
information
& map visit our website)
Individuals Employed: 1,802 3,376
(Employed, not yet
successfully closed)
Successful Closures: 3,639
(Employed for over 90 days,
case closed successfully)
Disability Determination
(FFY2016 as of 04/01/2016 – Week 27)
Applications
Received:
101,768
Determinations:
104,514
Productivity
Per Work Year (PPWY) 376.2
(Total number of cases
processed divided
by the number of work
years funded)
Return to Top
|