Dr. Alexis Doyle is the director of national accounts for Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. Doyle also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for The Able Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating as the direct support organization for the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Tina Pepin is the executive director of the Pepin Family Foundation, a family-led nonprofit focused on education, health care and transportation, while most recently prioritizing resources toward mental health and wellness services for first responders and frontline professionals.
Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM), occurring every October, is an important time to celebrate the immense contributions individuals with disabilities make to our workforce. As businesses continue to seek more skilled workers, Florida’s population of persons with disabilities presents a talented yet largely untapped applicant pool.
Research shows that employment of persons with disabilities has numerous positive impacts for businesses and organizations, such as stronger return on investment and improved competitive advantage. In addition, training more skilled workers provides a sustainable boost to the economy.
Many Tampa-area businesses, much like those in cities across Florida, understand these benefits firsthand and have a long history of disability employment. Saddlebrook Resort has provided persons with disabilities a wide range of high-impact job opportunities in all areas of the resort for many years. This supportive environment in turn enables the full resort staff to better meet guests’ needs.
As we come together to celebrate DEAM and recognize today’s workers with disabilities for all they add to their organizations, we also must acknowledge the need to prepare our future workforce. It’s expected that by 2031, 72% of jobs will require at least some postsecondary training. In short, it is vital for students with disabilities to have access to robust career training and education opportunities to be successfully employed.
Pepin Academies, a trio of tuition-free public charter schools serving students with learning disabilities in our area, partners with The Able Trust and Abilities Inc. to provide the High School High Tech program to its students. This introduces them to career possibilities they may not have known they could pursue, and postsecondary education and training opportunities that address each student’s interests and needs.
Additionally, the Pepin Academies Transition Program provides postsecondary vocational training for young adults who may benefit from further practical job experience after high school. Through partnerships with outstanding local employers
like AdventHealth Tampa, Embassy Suites, the Florida Aquarium and many more, students in the Transition Program receive hands-on workforce training in a variety of in-demand career fields.
Across the board, these offerings help students develop key job and life skills, self-confidence, self-advocacy, and professionalism that help to make them more competitive in today’s job market. This supports Pepin’s goal of promoting academic and career success for Tampa-area youth with disabilities.
While we recognize DEAM in October, the work continues year-round. Sustainable employment is one of the most powerful keys to independence and personal fulfillment for individuals with disabilities.
Please join us in celebrating the contributions of today’s workers with disabilities across the Tampa area, and supporting the success of the next generation as well. Learn more about Disability Employment Awareness Month and find ways to get involved at www.abletrust.org/DEAM.