Machine Shop Employee with Disabilities Shines in the Workplace

When companies try new ways to manage their operations, they can be surprised by positive results. This was true for a precision machine shop in Newtown, Connecticut, when it found an extraordinary employee to do a critical repetitive task that required consistent perfection. Instead of using the traditional route of posting a “help wanted” ad on a job search website, this company chose to use an employment service that not only provided the shop with one of its most productive employees but also aided in personal growth and independence of a woman with developmental disabilities — a win-win for both parties involved.

Amie Giordano was hired by Arch Medical Solutions (formerly Tier One Machining at the time of hire) in 2017 after completing job readiness and career development programs through Ability Beyond, an organization that yearly serves more than 3,000 people with disabilities throughout New York and Connecticut to help them live, work and thrive in their communities. With the help of her program manager at Ability Beyond, Giordano, now 42, learned her job of assembling and packaging tip kits for the medical industry all day long, which requires focus and attention to detail. These kits go directly from her desk to a scientist working in a lab.

Arch Medical Solutions does precision machining and contract manufacturing for the development of orthopedic implants and instruments, navigated and robotic-assisted surgical devices, and precision components for surgical robotic systems.

Because Arch’s part packaging must be perfect every time and the same task is done all day long, most people can only perform that job for a short amount of time, says Kate Travis, assistant services director at Ability Beyond. However, Giordano is an exception. She sits all day long completing the task with perfection and efficiency beyond what Arch even thought possible. In fact, she can do a full week’s worth of work in one day, Travis says. Giordano’s contribution to the company also frees up other employees to do other tasks.

Training and Ongoing Support

To prepare Giordano for employment, she participated in a year-long transition program consisting of two internships focusing on increasing her experience and readiness to get a competitive job. Then, once hired at Arch, an employment specialist from Ability Beyond accompanied Giordano to work and learned the job alongside her. That person was there to provide additional coaching, training and support that Giordano needed to be successful. However, Travis says Arch was great with Giordano from the beginning. “They do a phenomenal job with Amie and are a wonderful, natural support,” she explains.

Now, Giordano’s job coach meets with her on-site only once a week to ensure everything is going well. Her job coach checks with the managers and the supervisor at Arch to ask about issues and then addresses them, if necessary.

Displaying Progression

Although she has the same job at Arch that she had when she began her employment there, the amount of kits Giordano can assemble has increased from 200 kits per shift initially to 400 per shift currently. There is no question that she excels at her job by her proven efficiency and attention to detail.

Even though Arch measures her progress by her increase in efficiency, progress is measured slightly differently at Ability Beyond. The program’s goal is always to increase someone’s independence on the job as much as possible, according to Travis. She says because of the career development program, Giordano has progressed a lot to become independent.

“I think there has been a huge progression with Amie. She started out very group-oriented within the program,” says Kathleen Grosse, career development program manager. “Then, she became more independent to work with the job coach, one on one.” And then the coach backed off a little to help Giordano understand that she needed to be more independent while doing her job, she continues.

Also, her mother drove her to work at the beginning of her employment at Arch, but now Giordano takes the bus independently to and from work. “She learns to be ready to catch the bus when it’s there when she’s ending the day at work,” Grosse explains. “We started setting an alarm, so she knows that when it goes off it’s time to stop working, get her bag and go to the bus.”

According to Travis and Grosse, Giordano has shown “amazing” progression, considering she went from her coach being with her every hour of every day at her job to now only having that person check on her weekly.

Being more social with her coworkers has also been a sign of advancement for Giordano. She started at Arch being extremely quiet and shy, but now she is talking to her co-workers and enjoys being with them. Grosse says she even enjoys dancing at work sometimes with her co-workers when they play music. “She really enjoys going to work and the people around her,” she says.

When asked how long she would like to keep her job, Giordano answers, “Forever.”

Giordano loves her job, and Arch loves having her there. “Amie has really grown within the company,” says Mike Iassagno, principal at Arch. “Our culture is described by five behaviors that we believe every employee should exhibit when they are at work, and we see those in Amie every single day.”

Travis hopes that more companies like Arch will utilize Ability Beyond, and other organizations like it throughout the country, as a source of talent and skilled workers that can positively contribute to a company’s bottom line. “Without companies like Arch, we couldn’t do one of our basic endeavors, which is helping individuals with disabilities find employment,” Travis explains.

She adds the organization can fill all kinds of job openings. Companies interested in partnering with organizations like Ability Beyond to tap into the talent pool of potential employees with disabilities can reach out to Ability Beyond (if local to their service area – go to abilitybeyond.org) or to Disability Solutions (Ability Beyond’s national consulting division) to discuss needs, opportunities and next steps.

Arch Medical Solutions | archglobalprecision.com

Ability Beyond | abilitybeyond.org