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PHOTO: Milford Scott and Lori Lefferts shake hands before conducting a mock interview as part of Job Club at SKILLS, Inc. (Submitted photo)
ST. ALBANS – Several individuals from SKILLS ’Community Support Programs recently participated in an eight-week long Job Club.
Job Club is one of several ways in which SKILLS helps individuals with disabilities on the path to employment.
“At SKILLS, we’re committed to helping people reach their full potential and live as independently as possible,” said Lori Lefferts, SKILLS HR director. “Providing career support is one way we do this, and Job Club has been an enriching and educational experience.”
As part of the Job Club experience, each of the participants met with Lefferts for a mock interview. The interview was in addition to the regular Job Club curriculum developed by the Maine DHHS Office of Aging and Disability Services in collaboration with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. It’s designed to teach people with disabilities about the value of paid employment and to provide them with the tools and resources needed to learn about work, explore their vocational interests, and to develop the soft skills that could lead to successful employment.
Each of the eight Job Club sessions included a PowerPoint presentation, videos, hands-on activities, resources, and tools designed to promote interactive learning.
Among the careers and sectors Job Club participants have expressed interest in are production/manufacturing, restaurants, cemetery maintenance, and day care centers.
Two SKILLS staff members were recently certified through the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators to provide employment support to meet the diverse employment needs of individuals with disabilities.
Patrick Bagley, team leader of LC Dill Community Supports, and Sherry Wood, team leader of Ervin Community Supports, completed the 40-hour curriculum to earn the certification. SKILLS is now an approved provider of career planning, work support, and employment specialist services and has begun accepting referrals.
SKILLS is a nonprofit organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities and other challenges achieve their goals. It offers services in communities throughout central Maine. For more information, visit www.skillsinc.net.
