EmployAbilities offers learning opportunities for persons with disabilities to assist them gain meaningful employment.  We offer free drop-in style workshops on topics including:  internet job search, resume building, interview techniques, and understanding employer expectations.  Our EmployAbilities Career and Employment Centre is a fully accessible resource room stocked with the latest information and tools, access to cover letter and resume-building templates and programs, Internet-enabled computers, printers, and assisting equipment and technology to support physical, sensory, and learning disabilities, and sign language interpreters.

Beyond that we offer many skill building and training programs that help promote and enhance employment for persons with disabilities including the spring and fall Entry Level EmployAbility Skills Training program.  Funded by Alberta Human Resources, this 6 month training program provides graduates with the skills to become employed in entry-level positions within computerized environments.   We also offer the Step Up program for people with developmental disabilities and the Access to Success, a 20 week program for youth with learning disabilities.

Other employment services for people with disabilities include:

  • Pre-employment services: One-on-one comprehensive skill and interest assessment, resume development, interview rehearsals, volunteer placement for skill-building, workplace standards and expectations coaching, disability disclosure, computer access and training, access to industry-specific information.
  • Job-search services: One-on-one help planning and support in carrying out job searches, employment listings (online and in print), direct job placement, work experience, job tryouts, access to employers hiring on-site and at job fairs.
  • Career planning services: Identifying goals and assessing possibilities, information on specific industries and the labour market, information on apprentice, training, and post-secondary education opportunities and programs, access to income supports and funding, help filling out applications.
  • Transition and retention services: Support and advocacy for disability disclosure, worksite and job role assessment, communicating and arranging accommodations; help managing stress, workload, workplace priorities, medical appointments, ensuring new workplace relationships are healthy, working with employers to help them better understand disability issues and their related legal duties.

Testimony

To say EmployAbilities changed my life would be an understatement.  I came to Alberta from Quebec in 2006 and realized at the age of 53 years old that I had a learning disability.  For most of my life I worked as a labourer including working in the laundry department at the Jasper Park Lodge.  My life changed when I moved to Edmonton in 2008 and more specifically when I came to EmployAbilities in 2011. The instructors and the support I received at EmployAbilities helped set me on a new and exciting course.  I have applied for my Class 1 and Class 3 driving licenses and hope to one day fulfill a lifelong dream to drive a tour bus up to the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska.  You’re never to old to dream and at the age of 53 EmployAbilities helped me realize that.

Contact EmployAbilities today!