Wittman job fair targets those with disabilities

By Marty van Duyne
For PotomacLocal.com

Stafford County, Va. –– Some held tightly to the harness of the dog by their side and some walked with crutches or canes. Still others rolled through the door in a wheelchair and some briskly walked into the University of Mary Washington Stafford Campus unassisted.

But they all entered the Job Fair for Individuals with Disabilities with determination.

They came from the greater Fredericksburg area and as far north as Loudoun County. And for more than three hours of the 4-hour event, everyone that arrived was greeted personally by Rep. Robert J. Wittman, R-Va. 1.

See a slide show from the job fair.

Jenny Prohaska of Fredericksburg, a college graduate with a degree in music, was one of the last attendees to be greeted.
Her brother noticed a sign for the job fair as he was driving along Warrenton Road and called his father Dr. John Prohaska of Middleburg.

The doctor immediately went into overdrive. He called Wittman’s office to get details and the Congressman’s staff gave him explicit information on seminars, employers, and support organizations that would be participating. His next call was to his daughter.

He arrived at UMW about 10 minutes before his daughter and the retired former school principle, superintendent, and director of human resources was visibly exhilarated about the event. He found it incredulous that events of this type were not taking place more frequently.

Prohaska told Wittman, “This is the first time I’ve seen someone from Capitol Hill make this kind of effort.”

The doctor expressed his gratitude that Wittman had gone above and beyond and did not take on the task of organizing the event to get recognition, but rather was simply giving of himself.

Wittman said the concept was structured to bring employers in for the special event so they could focus on the individuals with disabilities. But the focus went both ways and allowed employees to be able to focus on employment.

Wittman said one reason they wanted to hold a targeted event was to create an atmosphere in which the attendees would not feel uncomfortable.

Both men simultaneously agreed that the goal should be to have employers focus on abilities rather than disabilities.

Prohaska told Wittman that it was clear that this effort “was something from the heart.”

“All of us feel passionately about this,” said Wittman. “This is our first shot but we hope to do this annually. We want to try to remove any stigma individuals with disabilities may feel about attending a job fair or entering the work force.”

Prohaska said he hoped Wittman would be around for a long time to come and thanked him for “making the road a little straighter for these folks.”

Wittman has consistently reached out to people with disabilities and initiated First District Disability Advisory Council in early April. Monday’s job fair grew out of concerns raised at the initial organizational meeting.

He and his staff have been working to organize the event since early summer. It was slated for early fall to coincide with National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October.

Wittman said, “Individuals with disabilities have not been well served when it comes to being provided employment opportunities.”

And on Monday more than 200 people and at least four Service Dogs had arrived at the job fair by about 1 p.m., which included seminars for employers and potential employees.

Matthew Doyle of Stafford was impressed by the seminars and found the sessions on interview techniques and résumé writing to be especially beneficial.
One representative from a federal agency who has attended targeted job fairs in the past said she thought it was a well-organized event. And she stated that they had met some very qualified candidates.

A government contractor on site said once they review some résumés they may be offering a position to one of the attendees they met with at the job fair.

The job fair was about accessibility and accommodation and the vendors were situated in a manner to leave ample room for navigation for anyone using an assistive device or walking with a Service Dog.

Those that were hearing impaired were greeted by American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters from ASL Interpreters, Inc. (www.asidc.com) as soon as they entered the building. And the interpreters escorted them throughout the event to help translate for business representatives.

For those seeking employment topics included assets available from the Department of Rehabilitative Service (DRS) and the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC); disclosing your disability to an employer and workplace accommodations; finding and applying for jobs in the federal workforce; mock interviews; and resume and application skills.

Employers’ sessions included disability awareness and Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC), and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and reasonable accommodations.

Several of the sessions were applicable to both employer and potential employee, such as the seminar on assistive technology.

The 20th anniversary of the ADA was celebrated this summer and numerous pieces of legislation have been signed into law that impact everything from accommodations to accessible Internet and Web access. Sessions at the event presented an overview of many new laws.

Information about the ADA, including recently passed legislation, can be found at disability.gov.

To follow Wittman’s initiatives or to get details about participants at the Job Fair for Individuals with Disabilities, visit his web site at www.wittman.house.gov.

Marty van Duyne is an independent photographer, journalist, and media consultant residing in Virginia.