October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In honor of the month, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best companies providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Large Companies That Hire People With Disabilities
There are many national companies who hire people with disabilities and work to create a work environment of inclusion. Below are some of the ones that have received recognition for their practices.
Northrop Grumman
In addition to having an inclusion policy for their own workforce, Northrop Grumman extends its inclusion practices to other businesses. Through their Global Supplier Diversity Program, they work to establish business relationships with companies owned by people with disabilities.
In 2005, they launched the Operation IMPACT program for the most seriously injured service members or their primary caregivers. Eligible participants receive career services, from readiness to placement assistance in addition to support for post-transition. In 2009, they extended their reach by establishing the Operation IMPACT Network of Champions. The group, comprised of over 100 companies and partners, share best practices and job candidates as they work to create better opportunities for veterans with disabilities.
Learn more about Northrop Grumman’s Operation IMPACT Network of Champions.
Starbucks
Hiring and accommodating people with disabilities is at the core of Starbuck’s corporate values. The company strives to create a culture of belonging. They achieve this culture by providing key accommodations for their employees who have disabilities, such as accessibility software and interpretation services.
Learn more about Starbuck’s commitment to access and inclusion.
IBM
IBM has a long-established commitment to hiring people with disabilities. In fact, they hired their first employee with a disability in 1914, more than 75 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In response to World War II, they created hiring and training programs for people with disabilities.
Aside from their hiring processes, IBM has been instrumental in shaping how people with disabilities use technology to improve their lives. From the first Braille printer to the self-voicing web browser, IBM has proven to be an advocate for improving the lives of people with disabilities.
Learn more about IBM’s commitment to hiring people with disabilities.
Ernst & Young
A key value of this world leader in professional services is embracing all abilities. They have created programs to help their employees develop their skills and advocate for disability awareness and accessibility in their workplace. Their founder Arthur Young had a disability himself and made a commitment to disability inclusion.
Learn more about Ernst & Young’s culture of diversity and accessibility.
AT&T
Not only does AT&T have diversity programs, but they also create special opportunities for people with disabilities to get ahead. Their Corporate Accessibility Technology Office (CATO) works with Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities to hire college grads with disabilities.
Learn more about AT&T’s diversity in their workforce.
KPMG
KPMG established their Abilities in Motion (AIM) network to foster a workplace that promotes accessibility and inclusion. The AIM network also works to increase awareness of the impact a disability can have on a person and loved ones. In 2016, they earned the top score from the Disability Equality Index® for their leadership in disability inclusion.
Visit KPMG’s site to discover the job opportunities available for people with disabilities.
Smaller Organizations
It’s not just the national corporations that are making an impact on the lives of people with disabilities. Smaller, localized companies are providing employment opportunities while improving their whole community as well.
Two of the smaller organizations who are making an impact are Artistas Cafe in Florida and MyCIL (Northeast PA Center for Independent Living) in Pennsylvania.
Artistas Cafe
Artistas Cafe in Tampa, FL has been training and employing people on the spectrum since 2011. Not only does the training help people gain the job skills they need, but it also gives them self-confidence.
After training, they either work at Artistas Cafe or find employment at other area businesses. The training program has been so successful that they are expanding. They plan on opening Artistas Development Center to create more training and job opportunities for people on the spectrum. In addition to training potential employees, they will also offer training for employers. By teaching integration skills to employers, they open more job opportunities.
The Development Center will include a retail program and wellness center, along with the training academy. In the retail program, trainees learn about restaurant, gift store, art gallery and fulfillment center jobs.
Learn more about the Artistas Cafe.
MyCIL
MyCIL is a non-profit Center for Independent Living. We provide job skills training for young adults through our Transitional Skills Center. Clients over 21 also can receive job skills training, from specific job duties to interviewing skills.
Not only do we offer a number of services for people with disabilities, but we also employ them as well. Over 51% of our team has a disability, and many use own services.
Learn how MyCIL is helping people with disabilities gain the skills they need to achieve employment.
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