Dear AccessWorld readers,
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, and AccessWorld is once again taking this opportunity to focus on employment with articles that provide strategies, insider perspectives, and information about employment resources.
October is a time to celebrate the skills and accomplishments of American workers with disabilities. Further, it's a time to illuminate and discuss the employment barriers that still exist and, with renewed vigor, pursue their removal.
The effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment began in 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
In observance of this month-long celebration, CareerConnect Program Manager, Joe Strechay, has once again contributed his expertise to this issue. This month I am also sharing the Editor's Page with Joe to bring you his unique personal perspective on the employment of people with vision loss. He writes:
Having traveled extensively around the United States and met with professionals, job seekers, teenagers, and adults who are blind or visually impaired, I have had the opportunity to learn about employment issues from all sides. Much of my job pertains to analyzing employment issues and creating resources to assist people with vision loss in becoming career ready.
In that vein, I am often asked the question, "What is the major factor affecting whether or not a person with vision loss is or is not employed?" Too often, I feel, people want to highlight a single reason as the major cause for the differential between being employed or being unemployed. Instead of offering one reason, I assert that the underlying factor is that there is such inconsistency around the United States in the training and preparation of people with vision loss from an early age through adulthood.
Neither public nor private services are created equally, and for that matter, no government or private entity offers those services in the same manner. This issue is larger than just vocational rehabilitation. It includes preparation in schools, nonprofits, various state agencies and services, and other important variables, including family involvement. There are a lot of fantastic programs and services available, but any given region may be strong in one service and lacking in another. I know this is obvious, but it needs to be said openly: our field needs to address our weaknesses and diligently work to make improvements.
Each job seeker with vision loss has his or her own challenges. Unfortunately, I still see a level of learned helplessness among young people with disabilities, even among the brightest. Learned helplessness refers to an individual being taught that things will be done for them, which allows them to not attempt to initiate or do things on their own.
This type of thinking sometimes extends to the perception of job seekers that vocational rehabilitation is designed to find them jobs, but really that is not the purpose. Vocational rehabilitation specialists definitely can help and guide, but they are not job placement professionals. Job placement is an art; it is a mix of sales, community relations, and having a well-defined pool of applicants.
Job seekers battle the perceptions of employers about vision loss and their own perceptions about navigating the employment process. At the same time, the technology divide between those who have appropriate access and mainstream technology and those who have orientation and mobility training, and those who do not, is apparent. Those with O&M training and technology skills have a better chance at finding, obtaining, and maintaining successful employment. In addition, job seekers are all individuals with strengths, skills, and weaknesses. All individuals have limitations, and not every job seeker is going to be a computer programmer, accountant, teacher, mechanic, or maintenance worker. The common thread typically is they want to be a productive and employed citizen.
I encourage everyone with vision loss to pursue every avenue of education and training possible. I encourage you to embrace and learn to skillfully use technology. Take it upon yourself to seek out resources such as CareerConnect and AccessWorld as well as the CareerConnect app and the AccessWorld app to assist you with career readiness. Ultimately, it is your life and your career, and you are responsible for it. Take action! By working hard, obtaining education and skills, and seeking out and using resources available to you, you can find the job that's meant for you!
Joe Strechay, CareerConnect Program Manager
Detra Banister, AFB CareerConnect Employment Specialist, adds:
Career exploration is one thing job seekers can do to help make a sound, viable decision about their future in the workplace. There are a tremendous number of careers available to people with vision loss. As an Employment Specialist, I know of at least 300 occupational fields in which blind or visually impaired workers are succeeding and finding delight in their work.
Developed nearly 13 years ago, AFB CareerConnect has proven to be a very popular, interactive tool that presents professional employment information, career exploration tools, and extensive job seeking guidance from experts in the field for students and adults with vision loss and the professionals who work with them.
For the purpose of expanding employment opportunities for people with vision loss, CareerConnect provides employment and job search information, helps new job seekers and students who are blind or visually impaired explore careers and find mentors through our fun, new social networking system, helps users learn about interviewing skills, resume building, disability disclosure, or any number of other topics related to a successful job search. Another helpful and inspiring area is Our Stories. These are firsthand accounts of life in the workforce from workers with vision loss. The icing on the cake? Just about all sections of CareerConnect can lead you to a blind or visually impaired mentor who can answer questions and provide guidance about working life! Using all these tools to help you reach your employment goal—now that's what I call a winning performance!
This October also marks the three year anniversary of the AccessWorld app. I'm very excited to announce that the app has been downloaded over 4,000 times. If you have an iPhone and haven't yet downloaded the app, I encourage you to read Ricky Kirkendall and Darren Burton's article to learn how you can have AccessWorld on your iPhone!
I hope you enjoy this issue and will join AccessWorld in recognizing and celebrating the inroads individuals with vision loss, and all types of disabilities, have made in the world of employment.
Sincerely,
Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief
American Foundation for the Blind
