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Montana/Wyoming Careers through Partnerships
Success Stories
By Dave Coleman, Butte Job Service
The University of Montana Rural Institute
and the Montana Job Training Partnership have successfully coordinated
the Montana/Wyoming Careers through Partnerships project for four
years. This U.S. Department of Labor–funded project provides
funds to help people with disabilities return to work or start their
own small businesses. The Butte Job Service, which is a One-Stop
employment center for west-central Montana, connects employment
seekers with disabilities with the Careers project funds. Here are
some of the success stories from the Butte Job Service.
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We had a customer referred from Montana Vocational Rehabilitation
(VR) who needed assistance in purchasing equipment to set her
up in her own business. This client was extremely well educated
and at the time of entry into the Careers through Partnerships project, had not only developed an excellent business plan, but
had already implemented the plan. Her plan was to go into business
as a web-page developer. At our first meeting with her, she had
already developed four professional web pages and was pursuing
leads to develop six others. The tools she needed most to succeed
included a new computer with the specifications unique to this
line of work, as well as the professional software needed to
create, develop, and maintain her new sites. She had a very specific
list of items needed as well as cost estimates. We were able
to provide her with a state-of-the-art computer along with the
state-of-the-art software she desired. The remaining funds we
had set aside for her were for her to attend a conference in
Missoula, Montana–registration fees, hotel room, per diem,
and mileage. When she returned, she provided me with an envelope
of receipts and also a list of new clients she met while at the
conference. Since she has exited the program, she has not only
continued to gain new clients, she has also been able to find
part-time employment using her education and previous professional
experience to garner new positions, which will greatly contribute
to her income.
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Another individual primarily required assistance with purchasing
parts to rebuild the transmission in his Jeep and also needed
a clothing allowance and gas vouchers. He is an ASE Certified
Mechanic. The Careers through Partnerships project was able
to help him with these items. The end result was a renewed
positive self-image and the ability to conduct an effective
job search. He was able to land a job as a service writer for
a local automobile repair shop, and is now making a good wage
that will support him and his young family.
____________________________________________________________
An older worker client had a specific need for a particular
type of hearing aid. This hearing aid needed to be “top-of-the-line” as
her hearing was extremely bad. The hearing aid recommended
by the audiologist/hearing center was one step away from her
requiring surgery. After much searching on the Internet, we
were able to locate a manufacturer who had such a hearing aid
that was within the program budgetary guidelines. We immediately
purchased this hearing aid for her. When I called her in and
told her the good news, tears of joy literally flooded her
eyes. She was in a shocked state of disbelief. Two weeks later,
she came back into my office and was able to carry on a normal
conversation, her eyes still moist with emotion over this wonderful
turn of events for her. She has a tremendous background as
a professional secretary/bookkeeper, and is still looking for
employment in this field. In the meantime, she has taken a
part-time position working for a private party. Now the biggest
hurdle she has is her age, but this is a hurdle that she is
better able to contend with now that she has is able to hear
better.
_____________________________________________________________
A young customer who has a traumatic brain injury is now
working twenty-hours a week in a clerical support job that
she was able to get after receiving support from the Careers
through Partnerships project. She was able to purchase professional
dress clothing as well as have her vehicle repaired so that
she could not only conduct an effective job search, but now
is able to get to and from work. This has truly changed her
world for the better. Her self-esteem and self-confidence are
closer to where they should be than they were before her working
with Vocational Rehabilitation and the Careers through
Partnerships project.
_____________________________________________________________
Another young customer was in dire need of car repairs,
which we provided. However, these repairs only helped some
of the problems with her vehicle. It turned out that her vehicle
needed more repairs than originally thought. Also, the shop
where she had taken her vehicle provided questionable service
for her. She felt that they had sabotaged her vehicle (this
was her opinion and was never truly proved), and she really
wanted to have another shop work on her vehicle. We helped
locate another shop that she approved of, and which guaranteed
their work, and had the remaining repairs completed. The next
step was a clothing allowance to help her in her job search
and subsequent interviews. This eventually paid off in the
form of a full-time office job with a local business. She is
now earning a good starting wage, and will be receiving full
benefits within the next few months.
Contact Information
Dave Coleman
Butte Job Service
E-mail: dbcoleman@state.mt.us
(406) 494-0310
Roger Shelley, Project Director
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Home Office: (406) 445-9168
r.shelley@worldnet.att.net
Lisa Newman
Montana Job Training Partnership
302 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite 409
Helena, MT 59601
(406) 444-1330
lnewman@mjtp.org
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