ODC sponsors "consumer career fair"

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

May 4, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

The Occupational Development Center's goal is to find employment for mentally and physically handicapped people, but another responsibility it has is educating local businesses about the capabilities of handicapped people, says Program Coordinator Michelle Crow.

That is what the ODC hopes to accomplish with a program it is currently sponsoring called a "consumer career fair," she said.

Throughout May and June, consumers -- people using ODC service -- will be touring local businesses that have indicated an interest in the opportunity to hire a handicapped person, and shadowing employees at those businesses to learn about their jobs. The program began in April.

On Monday, for instance, Crow said several consumers will be touring the Northern Inn, learning about work done in the kitchen, laundry room and other facilities.

"The main thing we're trying to do is educate the consumers about career opportunities," Crow said. "But we also want to make local businesses aware that handicapped people can do more than janitorial work."

Two or three consumers go on the shadowing visits, which usually last less than an hour, according to Crow. Since April, 15 businesses have been visited, and they have about five more visits scheduled. But any other business not yet aware of the program is welcome to contact the ODC to establish a visit.

Consumers have visited a wide range of businesses because the ODC hopes to expand its horizons as to what types of careers are available, and more than 20 consumers have taken part in the project.

Crow said the initial goal is not necessarily to get businesses to immediately hire ODC consumers, but just to make them aware of the opportunity. If a consumer gets a job out of the program, it will be a bonus.

"We recently did not want to put pressure on businesses to bring somebody in right away," she said. "If they have a job opening that would be great, but we didn't ask if they had any openings before we went to visit."

At the end, those consumers who have toured businesses will give reports to the rest of the ODC consumers in an effort to share the knowledge.

The list of businesses interested in having the consumers visit was gathered from a survey conducted by the ODC's Business Advisory Council. Those which stated an interest were contacted, and visits lined up.

"Some of the businesses didn't even realize the consumers could do the jobs they have," she said. "A lot of people think that people with disabilities can only wash toilets or do dishes. That's not true."