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Opening Doors For The Disabled

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2008

Most often, schools offer students a chance to shadow people who work in different professions. But today, disabled students in Hillsborough - and throughout the nation - will participate in a unique mentoring effort.

More than 20 local businesses will participate in Disability Mentoring Day, which will provide more than 150 students, adult job seekers and disabled veterans a chance to explore job opportunities. They are matched with workers who help them learn how to do a job despite their physical challenges.

The program not only opens up opportunities for the disabled, it also benefits employers, who can identify top-notch job prospects.

Research shows that people with disabilities have lower rates of absenteeism and demonstrate a higher degree of loyalty and commitment to their jobs.

One of the chief local sponsors of the event is attorney Richard Salem, who manages a successful law practice despite becoming blind as a teenager. He also became a national advocate for the disabled and founded Enable America, which seeks to eliminate barriers to employment for the disabled.

Businesses such as Publix, Busch Gardens and SunTrust deserve applause for helping the disabled discover possible career paths.

But were you to ask them, they'd say it's all about recognizing a valuable pool of workers.

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