October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Throughout the month, DES is sharing stories of individuals with disabilities who have utilized Arizona’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program to achieve success in the workforce.
With assistance from the VR program, Michael Roberts, who has autism and ADHD, gained employment at NAPA Auto Parts.
Michael graduated from Glendale Community College with an Associate of Arts in auto mechanics at the end of 2020. Following graduation, Michael needed help to find employment, so he turned to VR. Through VR, he was connected with the Odyssey Services Corp where he received help with interview skills, resume building, job leads and more. On March 9, 2021, Robert landed the job he wanted at NAPA Auto Parts. After he gained employment, his VR counselor continued to work with him to ensure he was doing well and had all the resources he needed to be successful. Robert is currently working full-time, making a competitive wage and loving his job.
“It was a pretty cool experience,” Robert said. “I thought it’d be harder, but it turned out to be a pretty good experience. VR helped me navigate (through) jobs.”
To learn more about how VR helps individuals with disabilities prepare for and obtain employment, visit des.az.gov/vr.