Comerica Bank increasing diversity by embracing disabilities
(CBS DETROIT) - Things are looking up for Jonathan Mularoni after a chance encounter at a previous job.
"I'm super happy I'm here. That's the important part," said Mularoni, an intern at Comerica Bank. "I was like, this is real? This sounds too good to be true. But the more I talked with them … got an interview, free cybersecurity schooling. And I hopped right in full force."
Mularoni's gone full force into cyber security.
"I do enterprise security, specifically, firewall proxy and just historical documentation of those areas things," Mularoni said.
It's an opportunity made possible through an internship partnership program between Comerica Bank and the Exceptional Academy, a program through the Living and Learning Enrichment Center whose goal is to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.
"It's just all about conversation, communication and comfort comfortability," says Shaelese King, Comerica's internship manager. "It's important to incorporate diversity into our community. And in our work environment, it's important to give everybody the opportunity and a chance to work and understand and go after their career paths."
"They gain a lot from this program," added Lori Walker, manager of Comerica's diversity and inclusion program. "They have a nine-month program where they're learning very detailed networking, and, you know, computer skills, they're learning verbal skills, social skills, personal interaction, professional development."
"What I love about this is that I get to use my brain and work with that, which is a lot easier than using my hands. I'm former construction and lots of other weird jobs. I want to eventually be my boss's boss. … I want to climb the corporate ladder. I want to do the best possible thing I can do. I want to be the best possible and make good money doing it and be the best person I can be. That's what matters most," said Mularoni.
And for Comerica.
"We gain just as much, if not more than the students. We are, you know, seeing and learning with them, just as they're learning with us. But we also have that opportunity to interact with people who are different and how we can better create this inclusive and diverse environment here at Comerica," said Walker.
