A new employment readiness service is available at the Arc of Monroe.
ArcWorks is an integrated manufacturing business run by that organization, and will now be offered as a job readiness option for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Kathy Moylan, Vice President of Transition at The Arc of Monroe says The Arc runs similar programs at the Marriott, strong hospital and the City of Rochester. She says these programs teach important job skills as well as social skills.
"How to talk to your supervisor about maybe a difficult subject, the things we need to learn to do in our jobs every day are things we will be teaching people how to do for themselves."
Kathy Pelkey, Senior Director of Vocational Services for The Arc of Monroe agreed.
"I think interacting with your coworkers and your supervisor, interacting with people in the community if you’re working in a store or a restaurant. All of these social interactions are really a huge basis for success in employment, for all of us."
The program at ArcWorks will be helping people develop new job skills in areas like packaging, assembly, kitting and more, combining hands on time learning on the factory floor, as well as classwork.
Pelkey says as long as you can find the right fit for a person, anyone can be successful.
You can find out more and how to enroll by email or phone at (585) 672-2222.
This story is reported from WXXI’s Inclusion Desk.