In a matter of months, Jordan Rowland’s confidence has soared.
Last September, the 24-year-old, who lives with autism, joined a cohort in Bobby Dodd Institute’s Elevate Academy. He says he doubted his ability to succeed in the workplace and wasn’t sure what career path might be right for him. Over the program’s eight months, Rowland developed self-advocacy skills, discovered the type of work environment where he thrives and gained confidence in his abilities.
“I came in doubting my own competence in the employment field,” Rowland said. “And then I improved over eight months and had a bunch of surprising moments that caught me off guard.”
Today, Rowland works at HD Supply in Marietta after completing an internship through the academy. On July 20, Elevate Academy launched its second cohort of young adults ages 18 to 30. During the now five-month workforce development program, participants learn self-advocacy, social and interpersonal skills, financial literacy and workplace etiquette while preparing for competitive employment.
The academy was created to help bridge a gap many young adults with disabilities face after high school, when finding employment can be challenging, said Christine Raiford, program manager for Elevate Academy.
Raiford said participants spend the first few weeks completing assessments and activities designed to identify their strengths, interests and workplace preferences. They then gain experience through internal internships, performing tasks such as data entry, scanning, spreadsheet management and other administrative work before moving into a paid internship with a local employer.
“Jordan is one of our success stories,” Raiford said. “His confidence grew. A lot of our interns don’t know what they want to do or what they are good at. Jordan stayed open.”
Rowland interned at HD Supply. Following his internship, the company offered him a permanent position in which he assembles gift bags and has taken on additional responsibilities.
Other graduates of the inaugural 12-member cohort have been hired by TJ Maxx, Piedmont Hospital and Bobby Dodd Institute’s own warehouses, Raiford said.
Bobby Dodd Institute also employs people with disabilities through several of its own operations. The nonprofit manages packaging and shipping services for commercial clients and operates an Internal Revenue Service mailroom, as well as a 911 call center serving a U.S. Army base.
Raiford said another goal of the Elevate program is to help employers recognize the value that people with disabilities bring to the workforce while easing concerns they may have about hiring them.
“My goal is to take the fear element away from it,” she said. “[The employer is] probably working with a lot of people with disabilities and they just don’t know it.”
She said Bobby Dodd Institute continues to support both employers and participants after they are hired, helping ensure a successful transition. Raiford hopes businesses that have a positive experience will encourage other employers to do the same, she said.
For Rowland, the experience has reshaped how he sees himself. He is a student at Gwinnett Technical College studying criminology, he said.
During his conversation with SaportaReport, Rowland rated his confidence level as a 10 out of 10.
“Jordan inspires people,” Raiford said. “He is always cheering people on, telling them, ‘You’ve got this.’”
