Innovative program gives employment opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An innovative program at the home of a local non-profit organization is giving new employment opportunities to individuals with intellectual disabilities and other barriers to employment.
Life'sWork of Western PA's has a new Vocational Skills Development Lab, which is made up of six different career bays in which the organization is now doing even more to increase the quality of life for their teenage and adult clients.
There are spaces for retail, manufacturing, production, hospitality, food service and inventory management. They all have the realistic components needed to perform actual job duties. Occupational therapist Rebekah Funk is the lab manager.
"The individuals that we serve are highly motivated. And (they are) very eager to please whomever they're working for, so when you get them into the right placement, which is really what this is all about, finding what is the right fit for that person with their skills, interests, ability, support needs," she said.
There are already clients working at several Pittsburgh businesses, including CVS and Hampton Inn.
Babs Sefiane, chief development officer, said the demand for skilled employees is high, especially post-pandemic.
"A lot of people, they just don't want to work and employers are struggling to find a workforce and individuals that want to work. The individuals we serve here want to work day in and day out. They have a wonderful attitude. They bring up the morale of the companies that they go in and work at," Sefiane said.