Employment Opportunities for Arizonans with Disabilities
Arizona employer and Ability One contractor, Peckham, Inc. is a 42-year-old business that employs a diverse community of workers who tend to evolve during their time on the job through enhancement growth opportunities. Peckham is a nonprofit organization that provides job opportunities for persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
Peckham’s Community Recruitment Specialist, Janet Dragoo, said that in addition to the job-specific training their employees receive, the company staffs full-time case managers on site to assist with their employees’ needs, including accommodations and job coaching. Dragoo said this is the first job that many of the employees who come to work for Peckham have ever had. New employees receive thorough training, including the utilization of the JAWS screen reader and ZoomText software for staff with visual impairments.
Peckham also offers stress relief channels through meditation and yoga classes, and kinetic outlets, which is helpful for employees who deal with anxiety. Other accommodations include sit/stand desks, accessible work and communal spaces, and different colored screen overlays and keypad keys to provide a comfortable and adaptive working environment.
Employment for many individuals often brings with it a sense of fulfillment and independence, which frequently impacts families.
“My son has been working at Peckham for three years and I never thought he would ever work anywhere,” said parent Tim Stump. “He is not the same person as he was before he started working. He is so much more confident, and it means so much to our family. Now I feel so much better knowing that if something happens to me, he will be able to earn a living. It has changed our lives.”
Employers who hire people with disabilities not only benefit from a more inclusive workplace, but also a team of eager workers who often bring innovative perspectives and an expanded customer-base of clients who prefer to patronize inclusive businesses. Since employees with disabilities tend to stay employed with the same company longer, employers also save on training and recruitment costs.
Peckham is currently recruiting for 100 additional staff to join its team. If you are interested in a career at Peckham, please visit the Peckham website. For more information about employment services, please visit the ARIZONA@WORK website.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment