CEO of U&I, a workforce development nonprofit, highlights the potential of people with disabilities in the labor market. A U.S. Navy veteran shares his experience and struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder.
People with disabilities are the largest untapped talent pool for businesses hurting for labor, says CEO of U&I , a workforce development nonprofit. Doug Wesson pulls orders for Catholic Family Charities while working at U&I on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Dallas.
U&I helps disabled individuals by providing vocational training, job readiness training, paid work opportunities and community placement to more than 1,000 youth and adults with severe intellectual, physical and/or mental health disabilities.Doug Wesson, a U.S. Navy veteran, remembers the collision of ships at sea that could have killed him. The 19-year-old boiler technician was asleep in the top bunk of the cabin when a deafening boom rocked his ship and threw him to the ground. The crash in the Pacific between two ships happened decades ago in the mid-1980s, but Wesson still recalls the boom and chaos following the training accident. “It had knocked all four of our boilers off their foundation,” Wesson, 57, said. “We lost all of our potable water and we had to empty out our refrigerators to put bodies in them. It was a pretty bad situation.”The veteran lives with post-traumatic stress disorder. He is startled by loud noises and sometimes has to take breaks from overwhelming moments to help his anxiety. He warns people not to sneak up on him or touch him unexpectedl
Disabilities Talent Pool Labor Market Workforce Development U&I Vocational Training Job Readiness Paid Work Opportunities Community Placement Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder U.S. Navy Veteran
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