Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welcome everybody\u2014we\u2019ve got a great guest today from New York City, talking about the challenges that transition-age students have while facing career decisions, education, and entry into the workforce. Jon is the author of an upcoming book, See Us<\/em>, which highlights the process, the journey, of students entering internships, entering the workforce through the Career Discovery Project. Jon talks about how the Career Discovery Project enables students to enhance their opportunities, to gain experience, and educate them on the workplace through experience. This is all great information, whether you\u2019re a teacher of the blind and visually impaired, an employment-services specialist, a parent of a transition-age student, or a transition age-student opening the doors to possibilities. Be sure to keep in touch with Jon Marin, as his book See Us<\/em> will be coming out within the next month or two. We hope you enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon Marin:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is your interview, and you have to get your foot in the door, so knock out this interview and the internship will be yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about a mock interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Please welcome Jon Marin, program director at Career Discovery Project, and author of the upcoming book, See Us.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time they graduate, they\u2019re marketable, their resumes are stacked, and most importantly, now they have an idea of what type of career they might want to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working with transition age students through employment to enhance their opportunities in the workplace, education, and careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n My publisher told me, the great thing about this book is that it\u2019s not just blind people in New York City\u2014they\u2019re all over the world, and a lot of people want to see who these guys are, what they\u2019re doing, and how they\u2019re doing it, so these are really, like, some exciting times, and I really hope this book does have an impact on people and it touches some of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, please welcome author and program director at Career Discovery Project, Jon Marin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll tell you a little bit more about possibilities\u2014this spring semester, as you know, especially in New York, the pandemic hit us hard, everyone shut down, so obviously the students couldn\u2019t work onsite. So what I had to do was readapt a little bit, and get all of my students that were for the semester, I got them all remote work. I have 10 students right now, all working from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Welcome to Blind Abilities\u2014I\u2019m Jeff Thompson. Today in the studio, we have Jon Marin. Jon, I want to thank you for taking the time and coming onto Blind Abilities and sharing a little bit about the Career Discovery Project. How\u2019re you doing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m doing great, thank you for having me, this is a real pleasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I first started hearing word about you through the See Us project, and it got my attention\u2014six students that you took this journey with and you captured it through a photobook type of format, and, you know, it really seemed something, but the most important thing is, you\u2019re working with students, high school students, as they approach transitioning into college and the workplace, to gain experience in the workforce and to build their confidence, so I want to commend you for what you\u2019re doing for hundreds of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, absolutely\u2014I never thought I would be doing this, this wasn\u2019t my career goal, but this kind of fell in my lap, so to speak, I took the ball and I ran with it, and I really enjoy what I\u2019m doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, you\u2019ve won some good awards for this, you\u2019re part of the 40 40 club out there in New York, aren\u2019t you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is correct, I got the 40 under 40 Rising Stars in a Nonprofit Sector award. That was a big deal\u2014I think once I got nominated for that award, and I was an honoree, that\u2019s when I really got the idea that yeah, this program is really- people recognize it. And I still don\u2019t know who the heck nominated me, so that\u2019s always going to be a mystery, but I\u2019m glad somebody did, and I got honored, and I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s one of the trappings, when you start building awareness about the possibilities that these students can do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Absolutely. I used to job coach, and I always had good networks within agencies like Commission for the Blind, and working with teachers for the visually impaired, so over the last 10 years that I\u2019ve been working with the blind and visually impaired, I\u2019ve gotten ingrained in the community really well, so I\u2019ve made a lot of networks, as lot of good connections. I use that to my advantage, to advance the Career Discovery Project from what it was when I first took over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have an assistant, but this is mostly one-on-one with the students, and you learn about the students, you meet them, you learn their strengths, and then there\u2019s over 30 partners out there that you go find a good fit for them\u2014tell us about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right, so, the program started in 2013, and had about- maybe even 2012 if I remember correctly, I took over in 2014. So for those two years, they had about, like, five or six students a year participating in the program, it was that small. When I took over in 2014, I started doing about eight to ten students a semester, so that\u2019s the fall, spring, and summer, because this is a year-round internship program thanks to our grant. Since, you know, the program\u2019s year-round, I have to constantly keep it running, I\u2019m always at schools talking with students, talking with teachers, I\u2019m getting calls from guidance counselors bringing students to my attention. The students themselves, they share my contact information with their friends and I\u2019ll get random calls or text messages saying, \u201cHello Mr. Marin, I heard you could get me a job,\u201d I\u2019m like \u201cOkay, who are you?\u201d So that\u2019s kind of what\u2019s keeping me really involved with the students because I\u2019m so accessible to them as well, you know, they\u2019re not calling an office, they need to talk, they\u2019re calling me directly, they\u2019re calling my phone, they\u2019re texting me, they\u2019re emailing me, you know, they\u2019re not calling some secretary at some big organization, you know, they have to wait to get in contact with- no, they can call me, you know, within the next hour, I\u2019m always talking to them and keeping it going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you say you get them a job, basically you\u2019re getting them connected for an opportunity but they earn their internship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is correct. So when I tell them I found a worksite that\u2019s interested in them, or if I find a particular worksite that they\u2019re interested in, and I get that site interested in wanting to meet the student, I let them know \u201cLook, I got you an interview with this place let\u2019s prep you, let\u2019s get you ready, because you\u2019re going to interview, you have to ace it. If you don\u2019t ace it, you\u2019re not going to get the internship\u2014you know, not a total loss, we\u2019ll try again, we\u2019ll try somewhere else, but this is your interview, and you have to get your foot in the door, so knock out this interview and the internship will be yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about a mock interview. Some people may never have interviewed before in their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, that is especially what, unfortunately, is very common with young adults that are blind and visually impaired, and, you know, they\u2019re in high school and they\u2019re of working age, so we go through the basics first\u2014how to dress, the men, the boys, you know- depending on the job, because obviously, you know, not every interview requires a nice suit and tie. Things are a little different now, especially with some of the sites I send my students off to, but I make sure they\u2019re dressing appropriately, the handshaking\u2014keeping the head up, and at least looking in the direction where they hear the interviewer\u2019s voice, or if they have some vision they should be looking at the interviewer straight on, listening carefully to the questions, keeping their answers short and simple. Sometimes I have to, you know, let them know that they have to speak a little bit louder. Some of them have to speak a little bit lower, and since I\u2019m, you know, always with these students and I get to spend time with them at their schools, I\u2019m very fortunate that the schools allow me to do that. I\u2019ll get some time with them alone in a classroom to prep them, or I\u2019ll do it over the phone at home, so they\u2019ll get some good time with me. That allows me to really give them all the preparation that they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some listeners may not know what an internship is totally all about. This is like 10 hours a week for them, and like you said, it can run a full year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s correct\u2014so, the students can work no more than 10 hours per week, they\u2019re paid the minimum wage by the hour, they get paid biweekly, which is great, so if they have bank accounts, the money goes straight into account, which is good for them, they start learning, you know, how it is to get paid and budget your money. It\u2019s year round, so we\u2019ll have a fall semester, a spring semester, and a summer semester. A student does not have to work every single semester, it depends on if they want to do it, if they have other commitments, but the door is always open. So, Jeff, you could work the fall and spring semester, and maybe you take the summer off, and then you come back next fall because maybe you\u2019re going on vacation for the summer. So the door is open, they come in, and if I have a slot for them\u2014they have like a 10 or 11 student rule during the fall and spring semester\u2014if I have space and I can find them a site, you know, I\u2019ll try to get them an interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What an opportunity to gain the experience, to start building on their resume, which they\u2019ll need in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeah, you should see some of these resumes that I have. I\u2019m actually a little bit jealous, especially with some of my college students, I\u2019m like \u201cMan, your resumes are already more impressive than mine,\u201d you know, and it\u2019s all because of the worksites that they\u2019ve had under me. By the time they get to college they\u2019ve probably had two, three, maybe even four internships, right? So, once they enter college they probably have more experience than most of their freshman classmates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mm-hm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s not unrealistic to say, so at least they get in there with a nice advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh yeah. I\u2019ve always said that experience- I don\u2019t know where this came from, but is one of the best teachers. Experience is one of the best teachers, and to have that already, especially in your first, second year of college when you\u2019re starting to point your compass at your goal that you want to do\u2014that\u2019s really great that they get to carry that with them, have that experience, so that they get to self-determine their own goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right, and by the time they graduate they\u2019re marketable, their resumes are stacked, and most importantly, now they have an idea of what type of career they might want to do. If you remember when I said earlier, I try to match them up with an internship that matches their interest or career goals, or if they\u2019re already in college one that matches their college major. But sometimes they\u2019re- especially the younger students, they\u2019re not sure what they want to do yet, so I question them a little bit, what do you like to do, what are your hobbies, things like that, and from there I try to find, you know, simple worksites where they might find them interesting, and I have them at least try it out for a semester, and if they like working there, good, now we\u2019re getting somewhere. If they don\u2019t like it, that\u2019s fine, now I know for next time and the next semester we can try something else, we\u2019ll try something different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obviously you have a passion to see the students succeed\u2014what\u2019s it like when you find someone that has drive and all of a sudden they take off with it, you find them that spot and they go with it, and they graduate and you\u2019re like \u201cWow, they did it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s- oh, man, it\u2019s like a song in my heart. It\u2019s just a great feeling. I had one girl who got accepted to NYU, and she texted me, and she said, \u201cIt\u2019s because of working in your program I got this far,\u201d and that just meant the world to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I had two other students\u2014they kind of disappeared after my program because they ended up finding work on their own, you know they didn\u2019t need me anymore, and I was totally okay with that, that means I did what I had to do. It was funny, because one of them I ended up bumping into her on the 7 train, I was actually visiting another school, and it was the afternoon, I\u2019m on my way home, and she was on the platform. And she was like \u201cYeah, I\u2019m working here, I\u2019m doing this,\u201d and I was like \u201cYeah, that\u2019s great,\u201d you know, because when she was in high school I had her interning at the Intrepid, then she ended up interning at the Brooklyn Children\u2019s Museum, so, you know, she did what I love for them to do, which is eventually just go out on their own, say they don\u2019t need me anymore, and do their own interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make Jon useless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exactly! Push me to the side and move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can teach students the tools to use, but when they pick up the tools themselves, then they\u2019re teaching themselves, you know, that\u2019s- well, that shows that you\u2019re a good teacher, Jon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll tell you a funny story. I had two students, both were named- well, they still are, both are named Michael, and a couple years ago they were interning at a very exciting place called Rocking the Boat, it\u2019s in the south Bronx, and it\u2019s a boat building program, they actually make boats that they\u2019re able to sail along the Bronx river, these are like real boats, right. So they were pretty much- they were close to being totally blind, they really didn\u2019t have much vision, but they were still over there working with power tools, they had a job coach, you know, they were building these boats, but what happened was after a couple of weeks- since they really loved what they were doing, and as you know, when you love something that you\u2019re doing you\u2019re going to make more of an effort, so-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mm-hm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n -they\u2019re doing a great job, they\u2019re very happy over there, and I end up getting a phone call from one of the staff members at Rocking the Boat. She\u2019s like \u201cYou know, Michaels are doing so good, but they\u2019re not allowing us to help them, they don\u2019t want our help.\u201d And I\u2019m like \u201cOh, well, uh, you know, can you tell me a little bit more?\u201d and she\u2019s like \u201cYeah, we\u2019re trying to help them with the tools, and so on, but they don\u2019t want our help and they just want to work alone.\u201d And she admitted that they were doing really well, working alone, but they were still nervous because, you know, they don\u2019t have much vision, and they were messing with these power tools, but they were, you know, blowing everyone away because they were doing such a great job. And, end of the story, they ended up getting hired as apprentices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, wow. Good for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And they\u2019re in college now, I think they should be graduating soon, so, yeah, good for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you\u2019re saying everyone should change their name to Michael. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That might, yeah, that might work. I might change mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is just one of the stories that- you have a hundred stories like this, but there\u2019s six students that you put together in a photo-type format book called See Us<\/em>, and that\u2019s S-E-E U-S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s correct. These students\u2014I didn\u2019t do some, like, American Idol search or anything like that. These six students, they were already in my program, and the whole point of- for my book was to document these students\u2014not just, you know, them at work, but how they\u2019re balancing their lives between, you know, work, home and school. You know, people forget, you know, they didn\u2019t realize, yeah, they\u2019re going to work, but then they\u2019re getting home 6, 7, 8:00, now they have to do homework, and then go to sleep, and get ready for the next day, and so on. So, you know, for regular people that\u2019s, you know, that can be a lot, so imagine these kids. They already have things- unfortunately they\u2019re a little bit more difficult for them because of their vision, but look how they\u2019re handling it. They\u2019re tough, they\u2019re toughing it out, they\u2019re fighting, they\u2019re very goal-oriented, they don\u2019t quit. I wanted to share that with everybody, because I can talk about my program all day, and people can say \u201cOh, it\u2019s so great, it\u2019s so great,\u201d and it\u2019s not just a program, I want to show them the students that are in the program, it\u2019s great because of the students that I\u2019m working with, they\u2019re great, and they\u2019re making the program great. If these students weren\u2019t making the effort to accomplish their goals, then the program fails. So it\u2019s not just a program, it\u2019s the students that are in the program and how they\u2019re doing it. So I really wanted to show that off, and I thought the best way to do it would be through a photography book, take pictures of them, show them at work or at home, or at school, and have their personal thoughts accompany the photographs, so we also get an idea of what they were thinking, how they feel about this and that. That way the reader really gets a good idea of who they are, so they\u2019re not just looking at pictures, they\u2019re actually getting into these students\u2019 minds as well, and for a lot of people, this could be a whole new world for them, and I\u2019ll tell you why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a friend, and it was about a year ago, she said \u201cHey, Jon, I know you work with high school students that can\u2019t see,\u201d these are her words, and she goes \u201cI saw one on the train, on the subway, and he was with a cane. I didn\u2019t know they could take the subway!\u201d And I\u2019m like \u201cYou see, this is why I\u2019m doing my book, because of what you just told me. You don\u2019t know that these guys can do pretty much anything anybody else can do.\u201d People have to see that, they have- I want to change this stigma, or enlighten people a little bit more about these students, and what they\u2019re doing, and how they\u2019re doing it, and that they can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only for the book readers, but for the companies, the partners that you work with, because those students are there 10 hours a week for up to a year, or they come back, and their impact on the company and the people they see every day going to work as a routine thing, the bus driver, the people on the bus, people on the subway, that whole journey, it\u2019s not just the people at work, it\u2019s going to and fro, the family, everything, your program that they\u2019re going through is actually impacting so many people, more than you can even put a number to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right, and sometimes, like, I have to calm down some of the parents, I have to put them at ease, because- and I can say this from experience, because I\u2019ve been doing this a very long time, a lot of their parents like to shelter their children, and they like to keep them home, and these children, most of them, they don\u2019t want to stay home. They want to go out, they want to hang out on the weekends, they want to actually go to work after school and feel like an adult, so sometimes I have to, you know, put the parents at ease and say \u201cLook, she\u2019s going to work here, this is how she\u2019s going to get to work after school, I\u2019m teaching her the route, you have my number, you have all my information.\u201d I make sure I\u2019m very accessible to the parent, I make sure the parent knows that their child knows how to get to work, and I tell them \u201cLook, if you can let her go to school by herself you can let her go to work by herself, especially if the worksite is not that much further away from the school.\u201d But once I put them at ease, the parents end up loving it, and they\u2019re like \u201cWow, my child\u2019s working, he or she is making money, I didn\u2019t know they could do this!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n But that\u2019s some parents, other parents they\u2019re begging me to get their kid out of the house and to get them some work, so I kind of deal with both of them. And as far as the worksites go, just in case- if anyone is misunderstanding, they can work at a number of different sites, so they don\u2019t have to stay at the same place every semester. Sometimes they do, when everything is going well and if the supervisor likes them and the student likes where they\u2019re working and they want to do another semester or two, leave well enough alone. Sometimes, the student wants to go work and try something else, which I like as well because you see more of a variety on their resume, but I make sure that after they leave each worksite, the first thing they have to do is update that resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think the biggest thing you\u2019re doing, I mean not just for the individuals here that are getting this opportunity to build their confidence and use the skills that they do have, it\u2019s the awareness that you\u2019re bringing around New York, around the- from the parents to the companies, and instilling that confidence in, you know, they call back and said \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for you.\u201d But you know, those students have drive too, and you\u2019re just helping them to steer that wheel a little bit, and let them- I\u2019m trying not to take it away from you or give it to them, but you\u2019re part of the catalyst that is actually making it all work, and I think it\u2019s a great thing what you\u2019re doing, and when I started reading this and you\u2019re capturing that story so other people can share it and read it, that\u2019s what we need out there more because there\u2019s a lot of states out there, a lot of people out there that they reach that point where the parents, you know, throw their hands up in the air too, because not everyone gets the services that they need or they\u2019re not even aware that there\u2019s possibilities, so you\u2019re bringing possibilities into so many hearts and minds out there, so great job, Jon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I appreciate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon, this year, 2020, has really changed everything. Tell me how it\u2019s going now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll tell you a little more about possibilities. This spring semester\u2014as you know, especially in New York, the pandemic hit us hard, everyone shut down, so my spring semester was totally wiped out, I didn\u2019t get any students to work. So obviously the students couldn\u2019t work onsite. So what I had to do was readapt a little bit, and get all of my students that were for the semester, I got them all remote work. I have 10 students right now, all working from home, without having to go onsite. They\u2019re working from home, they\u2019re doing a great job, very interesting projects and assignments that are going to look really good on their resume. They are getting a crash course in remote work, most of them never did this before, although some of my students, mainly those that are not sighted, they were usually working from home anyways, and my sighted students would usually work onsite. It all depends on the site and assignments and what they want, but that\u2019s usually how it ended up working out, but now at least for the summer, up until- I\u2019ve got about two weeks left of the semester, I have 10 students right now all working from home, I was glad I was able to salvage the semester, I have a really great group this year, and they\u2019re doing some incredible work right now. And it\u2019s a big deal, because the New York Summer Youth Employment Program was completely cancelled. So you\u2019ve got a bunch of teenagers out there that are not working right now, and I\u2019m just glad that at least, you know, it\u2019s just 10, but 10\u2019s better than zero. And I was always ahead of the game with this, because I was always doing remote work from the beginning, so, you know, the summer was coming around and the other agencies had to scramble, they tried to find some work programs for the students, they couldn\u2019t. So, right now in New York I\u2019m the only one with a functional program right now that actually has these students working, and I\u2019m very proud of that, mainly for them, because if I wasn\u2019t there they really wouldn\u2019t be doing anything this summer, it would have been a total waste, so I\u2019m really glad that did not happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And they\u2019re picking up skills that a lot of people across the United States and the world are doing the same thing, like who thought Zoom would be that important, who thought being able to connect up with people and conduct business from home would be so important, and it\u2019s- typically, someone that\u2019s visually impaired is used to being home, is used to being on the internet, so when this came along you said \u201cI got this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeah, and you know, it is a fun fact, I work from home. I\u2019ve been working from home for six years. So I know a lot of your viewers are probably not from New York, so the way it works is New York City has five boroughs, and of course my office is in the most southern borough, the furthest away from my borough. So basically it takes me about two and a half hours to travel to my office when I do have to visit-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n -right, and it\u2019s a subway ride, then a ferry, and that ferry\u2019s a half hour ride itself, and then once I get to the borough of Staten Island, then I have to take a bus, okay, so that\u2019s about like two hours forty minutes, if there\u2019s no delays on public transit, so anyway, my supervisor-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n -was like \u201cJust work from home.\u201d You know, it makes more sense that way, I have to be mobile, I have to fit the schools in the other four boroughs anyway, I always have to go visit a jobsite at, you know, weird times, could be 4, could be 6:00 depending what time they want me to, you know, go down there for a meeting or sometimes I like to pop up on my students, make sure they\u2019re there, make sure they\u2019re working, so it almost wouldn\u2019t make any sense at all to work from the office, none, so I\u2019ve been working from home, and I was able to give my students a little, you know, some insight, tips on how to handle certain things, and yeah, they got the crash course. They like it, I think my main concern was just making sure they had the proper technology to even do the work, so I found they had their laptops or iPads and computers, if they had that and they were connected to the internet then they should be fine, if their respective worksite needed to get them any particular programs then they would have just gave it to them, so as long as they had the technology to do it and they could manage their time working from home, then yeah, we were fine. There was no issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does a potential student find out about Career Discovery Project?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Word spreads many ways, so either a teacher of the visually impaired\u2014usually they know about my program, most of them do, and they\u2019ll- first they\u2019ll tell me that they have a student that I should take to, maybe a student that might want to work this semester and so on, and then they\u2019ll introduce me to the student. Sometimes the students tell each other\u2014for example, the ones that are currently working in my program, their friends know that they\u2019re working with me, so you know, eventually I\u2019m going to get random phone calls and text messages from their friends, asking if I can find them work as well, and from there, then, we go through the proper channels, and I speak with their counselors and so on, and sometimes the students will- they\u2019ll tell their counselor \u201cI would like to work this year, who can I work with?\u201d and most of the time the counselor- well, depending on the student, they do have to be college-bound, by the way, I don\u2019t get them easy work, no way, so if they\u2019re college-bound and the counselors feel they\u2019re appropriate for my program, they will direct them to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career Discovery Project, that\u2019s a good name, that\u2019s a good name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wish I\u2019d thought of it, but I didn\u2019t, I guess I inherited it in 2014. In 2013 I was the assistant manager, and then when the manager at that time had left I just slid right in. My boss, she figured look, there\u2019s no point hiring somebody new, you were already the assistant manager, you know more about this than I do, so just keep it going, and that\u2019s what I did. Needless to say, I was scared to death when I first took over the program, and I mention that in my book, briefly, I was petrified, I never had such a job with such a huge responsibility. I thought I was going to ruin it instantly, which didn\u2019t make any sense because I when I was assistant manager, I was like \u201cOh my god, if I was running this program I would do this, that, and the other thing,\u201d then once I got in that position, I was like \u201cOh, me and my big mouth.\u201d But look, man, I\u2019m what, six, seven years later, probably 90 to 100 students, I have over 30 partner sites that cycle, I\u2019m always getting new sites every semester, most of the sites that I\u2019m working with this summer are brand new, the program keeps growing, I just wish I could just replicate this in urban cities nationwide, I would love to do something like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So many students, so many people who have visual impairment seems like a brick wall, barricades are up in trying to get a job and employment. How do you sell the potential of having a student do an internship when you\u2019re going to a new partner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, once I find a student that could be good for the site, I make sure I get their resume. Even if their resume is a little bit raw, I try to sell the site on just give them the work experience, we\u2019ll pay them. I know it sounds very simple, but that\u2019s usually what puts them at ease, because a lot of these companies, they can\u2019t afford interns and extra help. Once I tell them \u201cLook, first of all, I\u2019m going to pay them. You just give them the work experience, find somewhere where they fit, they do like doing this and that, just interview them, meet them, no pressure. You don\u2019t like the student, you don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to work out, that\u2019s fine, no hard feelings, just give them a chance, give them an interview, let\u2019s see how it turns out.\u201d Quite honestly it works out pretty easily most of the time. I start off by sending emails, I describe the program briefly, and if I don\u2019t get a response within, like, two weeks or so then I know the company\u2019s not interested. Usually I get the whole wow, this sounds great, you know, who can we meet? And then from there we take it to the phone, and then we move forward. These employers just love- especially the employers who are in their, you know, late 20s and early 30s, they just love working with these young students, and they\u2019re usually the ones who are more open to providing them an internship. I\u2019m like \u201cLook, the schedules are flexible. You guys could create any schedule you want. We\u2019ll pay them. All you can do is benefit from the extra help, you know?\u201d They just love it, and it\u2019s been working well ever since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, you\u2019ve noticed a change over the last seven- well, you\u2019ve been there ten years. Have you noticed a change over the last ten years that companies are more willing to diversify or be more inclusive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon: Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s really great. Jon, you\u2019ve really adapted to the changes, low expectations that society has upon people with visual impairments, or disabilities across the board, but you\u2019ve been fighting that, and it\u2019s showing that you\u2019re getting more receptive, you\u2019re getting awards for what you\u2019re doing, you\u2019ve come out with a book, and you\u2019ve adjusted to the COVID-19 stage here, and you\u2019re still successful. These young adults are growing, and the program\u2019s still working. The Career Discovery Project is working. Good for you, Jon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you so much, this is a- what can I say, again, I didn\u2019t expect to ever be in this position, I got it, I ran with it, I see the positive effect that is happening, and I keep trying to keep that fire going. As long as there\u2019s, you know, hungry students out there and there\u2019s employers that want to be inclusive, we can make some really fun and exciting things happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What suggestions would you have for some TVIs and TBVIs out there, teachers, counselors, what suggestions would you have about the optimism that you seem to have about the potential of the students you\u2019ve encountered?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could tell them, make sure if you know a particular student that has a particular talent, that student sticks to that talent, that they don\u2019t get sidetracked or frustrated, you know, feeling that oh, because I\u2019m blind I\u2019m never going to get this kind of job. Encourage them, if they\u2019re not in New York, to find a program that could find them, you know, some sort of work that they can do that interests them, where they could utilize their skills, so definitely talk to them, get inside their mind, see where they are and where it is that they want to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What advice would you have for a student who is indecisive, or not, hm, maybe hasn\u2019t met role models or people who, you know, like you said, some parents don\u2019t even encourage them or don\u2019t even know that they have the potential to succeed in college. What advice would you have for those?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Explore. If you don\u2019t know what you want to do now, you\u2019ll figure it out. Explore, try different things, see what it is that you like, maybe you might find a secret talent, you might find something that you\u2019re good at, and then go for it, keep trying to go for it. Baby steps first, you know, you crawl, you walk, then you run. If your parents are a little hesitant to let you go out there and work, you have to show them that you are independent and that you can be independent. You have to show them, and if you need a little extra help, you know, try to get one of your teachers to talk to them, try to get a guidance counselor, that way you have a little backup and then maybe your parents will let up a little and let you spread your wings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We used to call that- parents used to bring their students to the school, and it seems like they cut the umbilical cord right there, and you know, they could read 300 words of Braille per minute, they could read their talking devices, everything was, you know [makes talking device sound], super fast, everything was- but they just didn\u2019t have soft skills, they didn\u2019t have the skills to, you know, butter bread, basically, but they were so technically inclined, advanced, they were taking in all the data. To actually get your hands-on work, like you\u2019re letting them do, giving them those opportunities, that\u2019s where it all comes together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeah, you know, especially with the soft skills. I had one student, and you know, I love him to death, and now he\u2019s almost a grown man, he\u2019s also about to graduate college, well, I had him when he was really young and really raw, I got him an internship somewhere. He needed help with his social skills and he was always asking a lot of questions, he would just, like, barge into his supervisor\u2019s office at random times just to talk and ask questions, so yeah, you\u2019re definitely on target with, that they can have the work skills but then they don\u2019t have the social skills, so, you know, fortunately I can teach all of that. I do need help, I do rely on somebody at the agency to already give me students that have some prevocational training. I kind of do the sharpening, a little bit, you know, but he learned. And as he got older he got a lot more mature, he got a lot better, and now he\u2019s a completely different person than he was when he first started. These work experiences are just that, work experiences, and it teaches them life experience, so they\u2019re learning how to be on their own and engage with employers, and customers, and visitors, especially with supervisors, because a lot of participants in the program, they work directly under the supervisor. So they\u2019re being watched, and they\u2019re learning- it\u2019s on the job learning, for hard skills and soft skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where can the listeners find out more about the Career Discovery Project?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n They can go to cityaccessny.org, they can click on Programs, they can click on the Career Discovery Project there. If it\u2019s okay they can follow me on social media, I do like to give updates on what\u2019s happening with my program as well as with the book, because they\u2019re kind of intertwined, so on Twitter they can follow me @author_marin, M-A-R-I-N, they can follow me on Instagram at TheAuthorJonMarin, J-O-N, and they can also find me on LinkedIn as Jonathan Marin and on Facebook as Jon Marin, and you always will see me posting updates on my program, the excellent and exciting things that students are working on and what they\u2019re accomplishing on my social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And how can someone find See Us<\/em>, the book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The book\u2014same way, they can follow my social media, so I use my social media for updates both on the book and on the internship program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There you go. Well Jon, lot of information, lot of good stuff, lot of positive stuff, and you know, all in an effort to enhance the opportunities that you\u2019re creating, making available to students for them to see a brighter future for themselves, so thank you so much for what you\u2019re doing for the students out there in New York, and with your book, you\u2019re going to probably have a big impact and bring more awareness to a lot of people across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping, you know, my publisher told me and I should have told her, she said \u201cYou know, the great thing about this book is that there\u2019s not just blind people in New York City, they\u2019re all over the world, and a lot of people are going to want to see who these guys are, what they\u2019re doing, and how they\u2019re doing it.\u201d So yeah, yeah, this is a- these are really some, like, exciting times, and I really hope that this book does have an impact on people and it touches them a little bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s your plans for the rest of the summer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m going to finish the program in about two weeks, then the un-fun part of reporting takes place after that. The kids will take their break, you know, some of them are going off to college. I\u2019ll be working on the book as well, I\u2019m going to start filming the trailer in a couple weeks, that\u2019s going to be exciting\u2014yes, a trailer for the book, I\u2019m going full speed ahead with this. And then in September, I\u2019ll start preparing for the fall semester, and hopefully by October I\u2019ll have another 10 students, most likely working remotely depending on how open the city is and who\u2019s allowing employees back to work onsite. So, yeah, we\u2019re going to finish up the program, I\u2019m going to, you know, do a little bit more on the book, hopefully get the book out by the end of the summer, early fall, and at the same time, you know, just keep the program going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mm-hm. You know, when you mention another 10 students, I\u2019ve heard people say \u201cI wish someone could just write a manual on how to teach BVI, but every student is so uniquely different, I\u2019m glad that, like you said, you\u2019ve got a lot of one-on-one going on here, and that helps the students so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I did say another 10, I\u2019m pretty sure about three or four that I have now will probably just continue in the fall semester, so you know, maybe I\u2019ll have probably four or five slots empty for some new students. I do try to, you know, recycle a little bit, give as many a chance as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good for you. Thank you Jon, we\u2019ve been talking to Jon Marin, program director of Career Discovery Project and author of See Us<\/em>. Jon, thank you so much for coming on, this is a wonderful thing you\u2019re doing I can\u2019t say enough for, because I\u2019ve been involved with transition-age students before, and it\u2019s a good thing that there\u2019s programs for them to go to so they can take that step up, realize that it\u2019s possible, and through the experience of the other students that have gone through your program they too see that they can do it too, so thank you, Jon, for what you\u2019re doing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I really appreciate the opportunity to get the work out, thank you very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Great time talking to Jon Marin, such great things that he\u2019s doing out there in New York City, and if you\u2019re not in New York City, be sure to check out your vocational rehab, your state services for the blind, and see what they can do for you. Live, work, read, succeed. Big shout-out to Chee Chau for his beautiful music, thank you Chee Chau. And if you have any questions or suggestions for the podcast, be sure to reach us at 612-367-6093. Leave us a message, and let us know if we can use it on the podcast. We\u2019d love to have your voice heard. And from all of us here at Blind Abilities, through these challenging times, to you, your family, and friends, stay well, stay informed, and stay strong. Thanks for listening, and until next time, bye-bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [Music] [Transition noise] -When we share<\/p>\n\n\n\n -What we see<\/p>\n\n\n\n -Through each other’s eyes\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n [Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence]<\/p>\n\n\n\n …We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more podcasts with the blindness perspective, check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com, on Twitter @BlindAbilities. Download our app from the app store Blind Abilities, that’s two words, or send us an email at info@blindabilities.com. Thanks for listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by email<\/a> or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the Blind Abilities Community<\/a>on Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page<\/a>, and the Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a> group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Full Transcript Jeff: Welcome everybody\u2014we\u2019ve got a great guest today from New York City, talking about the challenges that transition-age students have while facing career decisions, education, and entry into the workforce. Jon is the author of an upcoming book, See Us, which highlights the process, the journey, of students entering internships, entering the workforce through […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6197","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6rcRg-1BX","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9298,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9298","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":0},"title":"Internships for Students: Real Work, Real Experience, Real Opportunities","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"January 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: This Blind Abilities episode shines a spotlight on internships for blind and low-vision students\u2014and why starting early can open real doors. Tou Yang and Randi Lasher from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB), break down how high school and college students can access paid and unpaid\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8307,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=8307","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":1},"title":"Unlocking Potential: The Summer Transition\u00a0\u00a0Program Tours State Services for the Blind","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Podcast episode page Summer Transition Program at State Services for the Blind Podcast episode page Jeff:\u00a0The Summer Transition Program. Stp is a comprehensive residential transition program for students who are blind, visually impaired or deaf blind, and today they visited State Services for the blind (SSB), to learn\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9493,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9493","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":2},"title":"From Possibility to Pathway: Building Futures Through Pre-ETS","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Across the country, students who are blind, deafBlind, or low vision are asking big questions about their future\u2014and in Minnesota, those questions are turning into real opportunities. In this episode of Blind Abilities, we explore how Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) through State Services for the Blind are helping\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9094,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9094","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":3},"title":"Level Up: Building Confidence, Skills, and Futures for Blind and Low Vision Students","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"August 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Envision\u2019s Level Up program is more than a summer camp\u2014it\u2019s a launching pad for blind and visually impaired students stepping into independence, college, and careers. Since 2006, Level Up has combined skill-building with hands-on experiences that prepare students for life beyond high school. From technology training to culinary\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8638,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=8638","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":4},"title":"Peer Perspectives: How SSB Helps Students Build Independence and Explore Careers","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio web Page Podcast Summary: This Blind Abilities episode features peer ambassadors Amy and Maddy, who share how Minnesota\u2019s State Services for the Blind (SSB) has supported their educational and vocational journeys. From summer camps to career exploration and technology training, SSB has played a vital role in helping them\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7271,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=7271","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":5},"title":"CareerConnect:\u00a0You\u2019ll Get Connected, You will Learn, You\u2019ll Engage, You\u2019ll Grow – Resources for Navigating the Transition from High School to College and the Workplace.","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"FULL TRANSCRIPT Jeff: As a blind, visually impaired student transitioning from high school to college to the workplace, there's no better resource than what you'll find at the American Printing House\u2019s CareerConnect.\u00a0The APH ConnectCenter includes FamilyConnect, CareerConnect, of which we will be talking about today, and VisionAware \u2013 a hub\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"APH LOGO - THE LETTERS ARE ALL CAPS -APH.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/APHLogo.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6197"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6198,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6197\/revisions\/6198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
I have, I definitely have. Probably they, you know- I don\u2019t want to speak for any supervisors in particular, because I don\u2019t know how they think, but it\u2019s starting to get out there that companies have to be more inclusive and they need to give more people a chance. So let\u2019s just say they already have that feeling and they haven\u2019t had the opportunity yet, here I come to give them that chance to be more inclusive, and they take it, they run with it, most of the time I have very happy employers. I always love when they say, you know, can the student work another semester? I\u2019m like \u201cYes!\u201d That means everything is going really well. Yeah, they have opened up a lot more, I know when I first started it was more difficult for me to find placements, but now it\u2019s like I just keep getting the \u201cYeah, can I meet someone, can I meet someone, who do you have?\u201d and I\u2019m like \u201cOh, great, there you go.\u201d I just try to send them the best match possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\nContact Your State Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Contact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities<\/a>
On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com<\/a>
Send us an email<\/a>
Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store<\/a>and Google Play Store<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n