A bevy of businesses are getting ready for the first Inclusive Career Fair at Centralia College on Wednesday, April 26.
Admission is free. The fair will go from 1 to 3 p.m. in the TransAlta Commons.
The Lewis County Autism Coalition & Cultivating Inclusion and the Economic Alliance of Lewis County partnered for the event.
“What we’re doing is saying, ‘Hey, this is an underrepresented piece of the community actively looking for employment.’ There’s a really high unemployment rate for people with disabilities and differences,” Nicole Miller, operations director for Cultivating Inclusion, said. “In Lewis County, it’s over 17% unemployment.”
For those who are differently-abled, whether they be neuro-divergent or suffering from a physical disability, often don’t feel welcome at other career fairs, even if they have the needed qualifications for careers being offered. Members of the LGBTQ+, Native and other minority communities are also welcome, Miller said.
“I think it helps people that have disabilities to come to an event like this because they don’t feel like they’re in competition with people who don’t have disabilities,” said Dolly Tardiff, business development center program manager for the Economic Alliance.
Miller said anyone interested, even if they aren’t differently-abled, is still welcome to attend the Inclusive Career Fair.
The main goal is to create a relaxed, professional atmosphere where employers and those with differences, both visible and invisible, can interact and get to know each other.
“Attendees are encouraged to bring their resume, but they’re under no obligation to, and employers are under no obligation to offer jobs or do interviews on the spot. It’s more about creating connections,” Miller said.
She said many of the people she knows who already plan on attending don’t need job coaching or extra assistance, they just need access to willing employers. Cultivating Inclusion President Lisa Davis said some employers, due to being uneducated about those who are differently-abled, fear hiring them.
“It’s understandable for an employer to be afraid. They just need to be open to asking the questions,” Davis said.
Miller said some employers incorrectly believe that in order to hire someone differently-abled, they will have to spend money on accommodations for that employee.
“There’s data out there that almost all accommodations are free and those that do cost money are less than $500,” Miller said. “Accommodations can be something as simple as leaving the overhead lights off or placing somebody’s desk away from the front door.”
She said according to the Washington state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, one in every eight Washingtonians is considered disabled.
Miller added requirements to be disabled in Washington are more extensive than the federal governments, which classifies one in five Washingtonians as disabled. Even those with hearing aids can qualify as disabled by government standards.
This was all the more reason to host the Inclusive Career Fair, Tardiff said.
“It’s getting over the stigmatism of disabilities,” Tardiff said. “It’s changing our mindset.”
One change in the workplace already encouraging inclusion is the rise in people working remotely. Davis said she’s helped a Seattle company hire four remote coders.
“Their boss is neurodiverse. It was actually his idea,” Davis said.
They believed everyone deserved to not only work, but to be employed to their fullest abilities.
“It can be pretty disheartening. A lot of people who are able to work or eligible to work end up getting under-employed,” Miller said.
People who are homeless are especially affected by this, Miller said, as many experiencing homelessness are also differently-abled. She said the highest likelihood of someone with a disability experiencing poverty or homelessness is during their working years, between 18 and 64 years old.
“It’s definitely something that doesn’t get enough attention,” Miller said.
The businesses and resource providers that will be present at the Inclusive Career Fair include:
• Braun Northwest, Inc.
• Chehalis School District
• City of Lacey
• Fred Meyer Distribution in Chehalis
• Hash: Centralia
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chehalis-Centralia
• Nike Outlet in Centralia
• Providence Centralia Hospital
• The Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel
• UNFI
• Washington Department of Children, Youth and Families
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Washington Developmental Disabilities Administration
• Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Lewis County Autism Coalition & Cultivating Inclusion
• Morningside Services
• Sensory Tool House, LLC
• WorkSource Lewis County
• WorkSource Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program
Learn more at https://www.lcautism.org/cultivating-inclusion/
