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The road to employment for people with disabilities shouldn’t be rocky, but for Eliza Valtierra, it was. And for many individuals like Eliza, born with a disability, difficulty finding employment is just one of many hurdles—some dating back to childhood.

“When I was born, something was already wrong with my ears,” said Eliza.

Eliza doesn’t recall the exact diagnosis, but she remembers that treatment included the puncturing of both of her eardrums, making the situation worse rather than better.

When she was 13 and her ears were finally retested, Eliza discovered that she had 50 percent hearing loss in each ear. By this age, Eliza was enduring more than her share of bullying at school. Kids often thought she was ignoring them or, at times, thought she was too loud or too quiet—the result of her not knowing how to modulate the volume of her voice. Unfortunately, bullying would follow Eliza into her first jobs.

At sixteen, working as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant, Eliza couldn’t hear the chef or her coworkers.

“They didn’t believe I couldn’t hear them,” she said. “So, they’d throw big balls of dough at me. Really big, and with force. I’d get bruises.”

It didn’t go much better at other jobs or even when Eliza eventually attended community college, where she strived to attain her AA degree in Criminal Justice until her work schedule began to erode her GPA. Finally overwhelmed, she stopped just six months shy of graduation.

Since becoming an electrician, Eliza has continued to thrive in her career. She is one of the electrical shop’s top producers and has received numerous positive Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) comments (the equivalent of employer feedback) from our military customer at Fort Bliss.

If there was an upside to leaving school, it was that Eliza—despite the bullying she’d endured early on—loved to work. But, deep down, she knew she wanted more than a job. She wanted a career. Then, at 22, driving down the street, she saw a billboard.

From a Job to a Career

“The billboard said something about becoming an electrician,” said Eliza. “I thought I want to do that, and that’s when my journey to becoming an electrician started.”

Soon after, Eliza started classes at El Paso Community College’s Advanced Technology Center. There she met a master electrician who recommended she simply become an apprentice at an electrical company, where she could begin accruing hours toward her journeyman’s license while working in the field.

And that’s exactly what Eliza did. From 2014 to 2017, she accrued hours and learned the electrical trade. Then, when she was 25 while seeking cost-effective hearing aids through Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DARS), a counselor there told her about PRIDE Industries—specifically, a job there that matched her skill set.

After a couple of calls, Eliza began working with PRIDE Industries Recruiting Counselor Cynthia Baca. Soon after that, she was hired by PRIDE Industries as a maintenance trade helper for its Fort Bliss customer.

“I assisted the electricians and general maintenance workers on their trucks,” said Eliza. “Doing all I could to make their jobs easier.”

Once on the job, Eliza also worked with Job Counselor Brianda Hernandez.

“She made sure I was being treated well and had assistive devices if needed,” said Eliza.

For a year, Eliza worked in this capacity, accruing the final hours toward her journeyman requirement. Then, in 2018, after passing the journeyman electrician test, she was promoted to General Maintenance Worker and, in 2019, to her current position as a PRIDE Industries electrician.

During this time, Eliza met a coworker who knew American Sign Language (ASL).

“He taught me while we worked swing shift together,” said Eliza. “We’d spend the second half of our shifts signing while we worked.”

As Fort Bliss boasts a large Deaf community, knowing ASL came in handy. The skill became imperative when, a year after arriving at the fort, Eliza met the man who would become her husband, a fellow PRIDE Industries employee.

“My husband is deaf,” said Eliza. “So, it’s good that I learned ASL fast. I know it pretty well now.”

Thriving in Her Career

Since becoming an electrician, Eliza has continued to thrive in her career. She is one of the electrical shop’s top producers and has received numerous positive Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) comments (the equivalent of employer feedback) from our military customer at Fort Bliss.

In 2022, she was also named Employee of the Year by PRIDE Industries management at Fort Bliss.

On top of all this, Eliza was selected by Don Nelson, PRIDE Industries Vice President of Government Facilities Services, to attend the SourceAmerica® Conference in May 2023. SourceAmerica® is a leading job creator for people with disabilities.

“I selected Eliza for the great work she’s done at Fort Bliss,” said Don. “This was an opportunity for her to learn more about Source America’s AbilityOne® program and what it can do for employees with disabilities. I trusted she’d be able to message that back to the Fort Bliss team from her perspective.”

Eliza’s work ethic expands beyond her role at PRIDE Industries.

In her spare time, she volunteers with the Home Builders Institute (HBI), teaching introductory electrical classes to soldiers transitioning from the military. And she does all of this without falling behind in her work duties.

Advice to People with Disabilities Seeking Employment

Eliza has become an advocate when it comes to employment for people with disabilities. When asked what advice she’d offer others with disabilities who are considering reaching out to PRIDE Industries, she was quick to say, “You don’t need to be scared. PRIDE Industries will assist you every step of the way.”

She recommends that people call the I AM ABLE Employment Helpline to get started.

A Bright Future

Top producer. Employee of the Year. Source America Conference representative. Volunteer teacher. Through tenacity and hard work, Eliza has come a long way since her days spent in the path of flying dough balls.

And her future career goal?

“I’d like to be a supervisor one day,” she said.

If her employment trajectory since joining PRIDE Industries is an indicator of future success, that and more are surely possible for Eliza.

“She’s one of the top five courtesy clerks I’ve ever had.” That’s Raley’s manager Danielle Bergmann talking about star employee Angie Rao, a 32-year employee who happens to have a disability. Learn how Raley’s supermarkets leverage the many talents of people with disabilities for hard-to-fill roles in this Comstock’s feature.

Read the article

The path to employment for Deaf employees, can be a long one. And when that journey mandates learning two new languages, it can also be steep.

“From what I know, I was born deaf,” said Jesus Rosales, Facilities Supervisor for PRIDE Industries’ carpentry shop at Fort Bliss. “But at that time, my family didn’t have the resources to know about deafness.”

That was 1977. Soon after, in 1980, three-year-old Jesus and his family immigrated from his birth country of Mexico to Texas. By age eight, Jesus was enrolled in Amarillo Day School’s program for Deaf students where he came to understand more about Deaf culture. It was there that he began learning both English and American Sign Language (ASL) at the same time. Learning two languages at once was challenging, but it got easier when Jesus entered high school at the Texas School for the Deaf.

“We used ASL along with Signing Exact English (SEE) there,” said Jesus. “Then I was on a roll.”

Indeed, he was, both academically and athletically. Sophomore, junior, and senior years found Jesus not only earning recognition in the Honor Roll Society, but also as Best Defensive Player for football, Best Distance Runner for track, and Most Dedicated Player in baseball—a sport he still plays and now teaches.

“I knew right away that Jesus was a dedicated hard worker. He also has integrity and can be trusted to do the right thing when nobody is looking.”

—William Green, Assistant General Manager of Operations for PRIDE Industries at Fort Bliss

A Few More Hills to Climb

After graduating from high school, Jesus spent a year employed as a computer technician before enrolling in Southwest College for the Deaf. There, he spent three years becoming certified as a dental lab worker.

“I worked in dental, but not for long before I moved,” he said “I also spent a year setting up equipment for musicians. Then, for three years, I worked night shifts at Walmart.”

While his Walmart managers loved his work, Jesus was growing weary of nighttime hours and, by age 32, he was ready for a more challenging vocation with room for growth. That year, 2009, an opportunity arrived.

“A friend mentioned PRIDE Industries,” said Jesus. “There were better jobs that I was qualified for—and better yet, they were during the day.”

Jesus also saw that PRIDE Industries specializes in employment for people with disabilities, including employment for Deaf people. So, that summer, he applied online at the social enterprise’s website. Soon he was working with PRIDE Industries Recruiter Cynthia Baca, as well as a job coach who translated in ASL during Jesus’ interview.

“It was a whole new ball game from then on!” said Jesus.

From Jobs to a Career

Jesus was hired as a general maintenance laborer (GML) for PRIDE Industries’ Roads and Grounds shop at Fort Bliss. Soon after, he applied for and got a position as a general maintenance worker (GMW) in the Between Occupancy Maintenance (BOM) department.

“That’s when I was really introduced to carpentry,” he said. “Fixing doors, floors, ceilings, and walls.”

“I knew right away that Jesus was a dedicated hard worker,” said William Green, Assistant General Manager of Operations for PRIDE Industries at Fort Bliss. “He also has integrity and can be trusted to do the right thing when nobody is looking.”

Jesus spent the next eight years cultivating his carpentry expertise as well as his leadership skills and discovered that one of his strengths was particularly useful.

“I found that I’m good at visually training others,” said Jesus. “It works better for some Deaf people than writing it all down. I show them instead.”

Because Fort Bliss employs many Deaf individuals, this skill is especially important, but it’s also helpful for hearing employees.

“Many of our employees, Deaf and non-Deaf, learn best by being shown the task,” said William. “Jesus rolls up his sleeves, goes out to the jobsite, and shows people how to do it. This hands-on approach also builds esprit de corps (team spirit) and trust between supervisor and employees.”

Leadership Skills

In 2018, Jesus was promoted to GMW lead—a role he excelled at. Then, in 2020, he was promoted again—this time to supervisor. In each case, he was selected based not only on his overall job performance, but also on his leadership skills.

“Being a supervisor is the hardest position, in my view,” said William. “They are where the rubber meets the road as far as getting things done, making decisions that are sometimes unpopular, and taking care of our employees.”

These days, Jesus can be found leading his team in completing any number of carpentry tasks, from conducting extensive cosmetic work to repairing masonry to reshingling roofs. Recently, he also broadened his leadership skill set when he was selected to be part of the team that created PRIDE Industries’ new core values: Integrity, Tenacity, Teamwork, and Innovation.

“Jesus is a positive role model for everyone here,” said William. “And the fact that he was asked to sit on some corporate committees to give his perspective—that’s a testament to his value as a leader.”

A Bright Future

As for Jesus’ future, his supervisor, William, is the first to say that it’s bright.

“His potential for growth has factored into his promotions,” says William. “Going forward, Jesus has what it takes to do anything he wants to do in life.”

And Jesus’ thoughts on his future?

“I plan to continue advancing my career at PRIDE Industries,” he said.

Supporting Deaf Employees

Jesus sees potentially bright futures for others, too. When asked for his thoughts on employment for Deaf people at PRIDE Industries, he said, “The possibilities are endless. There’s training. There’s hands-on work. If you don’t know exactly what to do, we are here with support, accommodations, and training that other companies don’t have.” And now, for all those with disabilities seeking employment, a simple call to PRIDE Industries’ I AM ABLE Employment Helpline can get the process started.

It’s been quite a journey for Jesus, including the mastery of three languages: Spanish, English, and ASL. Some might argue that he’s mastered a fourth: The language of leadership.

“She’s probably one of the top five courtesy clerks I’ve ever had.” That’s what Raley’s manager Danielle Bergmann said about Angie Rao, an employee from PRIDE Industries that has worked for the grocer for 30+ years in this Progressive Grocer article.

Read the article

Leah Burdick, PRIDE Industries Chief Growth Officer, recently spoke with Doug Thomas of the Sacramento Public File Podcast. In this interview, Leah explains PRIDE Industries’ support for Autism Awareness Month and its plans for the annual Big Day of Giving. The written interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Excerpt:

Doug Thomas: I’m Doug Thomas, and my guest this morning is Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer for PRIDE Industries. Good morning, Leah.

Leah Burdick: Hello, Doug. Nice to speak with you.

Doug Thomas: Leah, please share about the history of PRIDE Industries.

Leah Burdick: PRIDE Industries was founded in 1966 in Auburn, and it was started by parents whose adult children with disabilities were unemployed. The parents wanted to create meaningful employment so that they could earn paychecks and start to take care of themselves. Fast forward to today, we’re in 16 states plus Washington, D.C., with over 5,000 employees.

Doug Thomas: Wow. Quite the success story started by concerned parents. Well, Leah, April is Autism Awareness Month. So, let’s talk about the misconceptions that employers have about hiring someone with autism. First, there is unconscious bias, right?

Leah Burdick: Yes. Think about some of the tools used for hiring, even artificial intelligence tools. If you don’t have eye contact, it’ll cut you out of the process. We’ve all been taught that a firm handshake, looking the interviewer in the eye, and idle chit chat to get to know you are important, right? These are behaviors that folks on the autism spectrum can be uncomfortable with. These traits are due to differences in their brains. And that’s why the CDC reports that 85 percent of adults with autism are unemployed. Luckily, employers are now waking up to the fact that this is a great potential group of people to hire if placed in the correct roles.

The next level of understanding is how people with autism’s brains are different and how to accommodate that because the benefits can be pretty significant. Harvard Business Review has reported people with autism are considered neurodivergent, and teams that have neurodivergent professionals can be 30 percent more productive. JP Morgan Chase established its Autism at Work program to recruit and manage employees with autism and found that employees who were autistic made fewer errors and were 140 percent more productive than neurotypical peers in certain areas of the business. Companies just can’t ignore these findings, especially given the labor shortage.

Doug Thomas: Those are some amazing numbers.

Leah Burdick: Absolutely. Autism is a spectrum, and all people are different. Some need more support than others. It’s about working with the person, understanding where their strengths are, and matching those strengths to roles within a company.

Doug Thomas: You mentioned that PRIDE Industries is all over the country now. So, let’s talk about some of the global and local companies that partner with you.

Leah Burdick: One that’s really fun to highlight during Autism Awareness Months is Knee Deep Brewing up in Auburn. And they have just launched a special brew to drive awareness for autism called the Hoppy Roger.

It’s a pirate theme, and that was developed by the PRIDE Industry employees with autism who work for brewery bottling and packaging the beer. They did this last April, and it was so popular that they brought back their autism awareness special brew this month. The photo on the label features caricatures of all the PRIDE Industry employees. We’re very grateful to them for helping raise awareness.

Doug Thomas: Well, just so you know, I live in Auburn, and I’ve actually been to Knee Deep, and I’ve had one of those and they’re delicious.

Leah Burdick: Across the country, we work at military bases and at government facilities. Locally we work for the different counties in the area. We also work for VSP, SMUD, Raley’s, and Walgreens. We’re also at Thunder Valley Casino. We do all the laundry there.

We do facilities management where we’ve got everything from landscaping and cleaning through to engineering. HP is a very large supply chain customer and our manufacturing facility, it runs the gamut because we provide manufacturing services, we provide everything you’d need to run a building.

And then we do kind of individual placements in the community with companies who are looking for people for different roles.

Doug Thomas: Do you know if there are any local PRIDE Industries partners with current job openings right now?

Leah Burdick: We certainly have job openings in our manufacturing and commercial facilities businesses. People can go to our website, prideindustries.com, and look at our job board. If you have a disability and you need help even just getting on a career path and understanding what services are available to you, you can call our free I AM ABLE helpline at 844-426-2253, and a representative will point to you in the direction of the different jobs we have available.

Doug Thomas: Believe it or not, we’re already running out of time, Leah. But before we go, tell me what you’re doing for the Big Day of Giving this year.

Leah Burdick: We’re running a campaign to support our helpline, which is fully funded by donations. It’s the only resource of its kind in the country that we’re aware of that connects people with disabilities with the services that I mentioned to help them with job placement. We’re on track to help over 2000 people this year, and we continue to grow. A donation to PRIDE Industries during the Big Day of Giving will help support running and expanding this helpline.

Last year we placed over 130 people into jobs, and we helped close to 900 get connected to services to get on the path to employment.

Doug Thomas: You’re doing some amazing work, my friend. Thank you so much for joining me this morning. Leah Burdick is the Chief Growth Officer for PRIDE Industries. This has been The Public File. I’m Doug Thomas. Be good to each other and thanks for listening.