After graduating summa cum laude from Sacramento State University, Alex Naumann should have had no trouble getting a job. But despite being bright, professional, and having a great work ethic, he struggled.
“That was largely because I’m a person who stutters,” said Alex.
Finding employment can be challenging for anyone, but for people with disabilities, it’s doubly so. Data published by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics bear this out—people with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without disabilities.
Employment Helpline Leads to Internship
Alex decided to reach out for help.
“I signed up with the California Department of Rehabilitation, and my counselor gave me a list of vendors that included PRIDE Industries. That company was familiar to me, so I contacted their I AM ABLE® Employment Helpline.”
“My experience working with others in an office setting was different from when I was in school. It was the first time I collaborated with multiple people on the same project. I really liked that.”
On calling the Helpline, Alex was referred to Employment Specialist Sara Robinson, who made him aware of a paid internship opportunity with The Michael Ziegler PRIDE Industries Foundation.
“Sara and I both thought it would be a good opportunity,” said Alex, “because it would allow me to gain knowledge, learn skills, and demonstrate my current abilities while building experience that I could take with me to my next job.”
A Welcoming Work Environment for People Who Stutter
When Alex arrived for his first day of work at PRIDE Industries, he was surprised, in a good way, by his welcome.
“From the start, I was greeted with exceptional acceptance,” Alex said. “Something I’m not used to in the world.”
For Alex and many people who stutter, this kind of welcoming environment isn’t typical. Elsewhere, when introducing himself, he has been laughed at or asked if he had forgotten his own name.
“Nothing like that happened here,” he said. “I was met with patience and understanding.”
Freed up from some of the barriers he has typically faced, Alex worked hard as a member of the Foundation team. In fact, the first project he worked on was the same one that helps fund both the I AM ABLE Employment Helpline and PRIDE Industries paid internships: the Employee Giving Campaign.
“I was incredibly excited to help with the Employee Giving Campaign,” said Alex. “I got to prove myself as a hard worker while helping to fund future interns in the same circumstance I was in.”
A Chance to Put Skills to Use and Learn New Ones
During his internship, Alex was able to develop many of the professional skills that he would need for future employment.
“I was exposed to life in a professional office setting, including all of the protocols that go along with that,” said Alex. “I also had the opportunity to hone my writing skills.”
“Alex’s written communication skills were already at a high level when he started with us,” said Alex’s supervisor. “His ability to be genuine with donors was a big plus. His sincere appreciation shone through in the letters and other communications he wrote. And he picked up the nuances of our software programs quickly.”
Those software programs included Microsoft Office 365, Monday.com, Salesforce, and other office productivity tools.
In addition to honing his technical skills, Alex was able to learn about teamwork in the professional world.
“My experience working with others in an office setting was different from when I was in school,” he said. “It was the first time I collaborated with multiple people on the same project. I really liked that.”
Alex’s degree from Sacramento State included a concentration in video production, and during his internship, Alex had the opportunity to put his film degree to good use. Among his many duties, he assisted PRIDE Industries Senior Videographer Christian Naranjo.
“I really enjoyed helping Christian,” said Alex. “I got insight into how a one-man video crew, with proper knowledge and gear, can do the work of many people.”
Christian enjoyed the collaboration as well.
“Alex was excited to help out and see what goes into a PRIDE Industries production,” he said. “It had been a while since he’d worked on a video project, so he was getting back into the rhythm of things and asking questions along the way. You can see that he has a passion for the craft.”
Internship Leads to Permanent Position
Alex’s dedication and passion for his work made him a valuable and respected coworker. So, when his internship ended, he was offered a permanent position at PRIDE Industries. Today, Alex is an Administrative Assistant in the Workforce Inclusion department, where he uses all the skills he gained during his paid internship.
“In my current role, I document standard operating procedures for dozens of job positions,” said Alex. “I also process the documentation for new employees and I conduct audits of various programs to ensure that we’re billing business customers appropriately.”
For Alex, the internship was more than just a chance to learn new skills. It also allowed him to get to know PRIDE Industries and decide for himself if the organization was a good fit for him.
“During my internship, I got to know several employees and to experience the company culture, which I really liked,” said Alex. “By the time I got an offer for a permanent job, I knew this was the place where I wanted to work.”
Accommodations for People with Disabilities Are Inexpensive
According to the National Stuttering Association, stuttering affects the speech of one out of every 100 people—over 70 million, worldwide. This means that if a company has 500 employees, five of them likely stutter.
Some organizations fear that accommodations—for people who stutter or for any employee with a disability—are costly. They aren’t. In a recent survey by the Job Accommodation Network, 56 percent of companies reported that accommodations for employees with disabilities cost nothing. Another 37 percent reported a median cost of $300 per employee with a disability, for the entire span of their employment. What’s more, employers also reported that these measures usually pay for themselves.
These numbers make clear that the cost of accommodation is not the greatest barrier to employment for people with disabilities. Misperceptions about their abilities are.
Acceptance: A Basic Human Need That’s Also Good for Business
Sometimes an accommodation is simply an attitude.
“Beyond my friends and family, I’m not used to the level of acceptance I’ve received here at PRIDE Industries,” said Alex. “I’ve never experienced that in the work world.”
Closely linked to belonging, acceptance in the workplace is vital—and not just at a personal level. Employees who feel accepted perform better.
Since 1966, PRIDE Industries has understood that this level of inclusivity isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s also good for employees, for the businesses that hire them, and for the communities where they live.
