Jaime Devey is no stranger to working, thanks to his experience during summer employment at Goodwill through SSD’s partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). “I mainly helped on the floor, folding and putting stuff on the shelves,” he said with a smile.
VR works with students receiving special education services throughout St. Louis County, most closely with those in their junior and senior years. The organization supports students’ exploration of work and the steps needed to reach their goals. Many students, like Devey, participate in VR’s summer work program, where students are paid to work 120 hours over six weeks. During this experience, students have a support staff member who provides instruction in workplace procedures.
Devey’s mom, Jaclyn Elsey, learned of the opportunity from Mary Beth Merlo, Affton High School’s SSD community-based vocational instruction and work experience coordinator. Elsey shared that she jumped on the opportunity for job training that included soft skills, a skill frequently cited by employers as needed, but missing from candidates and new employees. She stated, “That was my biggest concern with him getting jobs. He doesn't have any of those soft skills. It can be very hard for him to learn those. Having an opportunity where he got to get right into the job, but then also be taught those skills along the way was an amazing opportunity.”
Devey, a senior at Affton High School, talks about his summer work program experience at Goodwill with pride and positivity. Since he was paid, he also gained some valuable lessons in financial literacy. Merlo teaches students to save, but also tells students to enjoy some of their money now. Devey is a movie buff and has rewarded himself with several flicks, saying “I’m watching a lot of the classics right now.”
Devey also learned how to navigate to work through Metro Transit’s Via program, an app that works similarly to Lyft or Uber. A fellow coworker also used the Via app, and she and Devey would sometimes share rides, supporting the development of a new friendship.
Devey is continuing to work with VR to establish his post-secondary education plan. Transitional VR Counselor Susy Zorra and Merlo regularly meet with him and his family to identify and work toward his goals. Since Devey is in his school’s automotive technician and manufacturing classes, he has discovered a passion for that work. Currently, Devey wants to attend either American Welding Academy or St. Louis Community College’s welding program. VR will continue to assist by connecting him to resources regarding typical barriers like housing, transportation, and even tuition costs.
Once Devey completes training and enters the workforce, the support from VR won’t end. Zorra states, “Jaime will have the opportunity to come to us throughout his life. If his goals shift and he wants to seek additional training or finds that he needs a job coach, we will work to get him the resources he needs.”