Salute to Curtis

The following article was prepared by staff at Enterprise Services highlighting Curtis and the work he does at their agency.  I thought I would share it since Curtis has worked for many years for the Dept. of Personnel and now a part of Enterprise Services. Curtis is a wonderful man who values friendship.  I wish him all the best.   The article also highlights State Supported Employment and encourages state agencies to contact the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to find more about this worthwhile program.  Check it out!

2/21/2014 Supported employment benefits Enterprise Services If you appreciate having your recycle bin emptied at 1500 Jefferson every week, you probably know that the person to thank is Curtis White. White nearly 16 years of state service, beginning his career at the Department of Personnel (DOP) in 1998, then becoming an employee of Enterprise Services. In addition to recycling runs, White delivers mail, fills our printers with paper, files, and enjoys attending meetings and training opportunities. White was particularly excited to move to the 1500 Jefferson building. This was not only because he enjoyed watching the progress of the construction project, but because the new agency and location have allowed him to interact with more people and take on additional responsibilities. In his free time, White works out at the gym, lifting weights and swimming. He's a fixture around Olympia, trying different restaurants, riding his bike when the weather is nice and taking bus rides. "Being part of a team is good for Curtis and the relationships he builds with his fellow employees are important to him," said his supervisor Rhonda Bell. "He does work in many areas of the agency and has received several notes of appreciation. Curtis is a valuable member of our team and is always eager to work on new projects." His success was made possible by an innovative program known as supported employment. Supported employment is a unique hiring opportunity made possible by the state legislature. The program connects disabled individuals in our communities to state jobs. By the time White got his job at DOP, he was already well-known there, because he often visited the job seekers area to look at available jobs. Employees hired through supported employment are trained and mentored by job coaches outside the agency, and supervised by agency staff. These employees help their programs stretch existing resources because they do not add to a program's full-time equivalent (FTE) count. At the same time, they gain valuable work experience and contribute to meeting agency goals. Contact the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to find out more about supported employment. There are numerous placement agencies with a pool of candidates ready to fill positions. Using these services helps employers like Enterprise Services gain efficiencies and supports equal opportunity employment.