Photo / Courtesy of bank of America
Bank of America Maine President Brian King and Peter Moody, who works in Belfast Support Services, at the 2023 Special Olympics meet at UMaine.
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Bridging the gap: Expanding opportunities for employees with disabilities alleviates shortages
File Photo / Alexis Wells
Cofounder and CEO Nona Yehia built Vertical Harvest from the ground up as North America's first vertical hydroponic greenhouse.
By Sloane M. Perron
In a world of workforce shortages and competitive job markets, companies are developing creative hiring strategies and looking at untapped talent pools. Through technology and companies actively seeking to diversify their workforces, more work opportunities are being crafted for individuals with disabilities. According to Maine’s Department of Labor, 16% of working-age adults in the state have one or more disabilities, exceeding the national average of 13%. Nationwide, 1 in 4 Americans has a disability. Actively engaging this talent pool could help mitigate worker shortages while providing career opportunities for individuals who are ready and eager to get to work.
Nona Yehia, co-founder and CEO of Vertical Harvest Farms, knows first-hand the importance of providing meaningful work opportunities to people of all abilities. “I have a brother with disabilities. I did not set out to be a vertical farmer, I am an architect by trade, and from a very early age, I understood that community wasn’t set up to support my brother like it was set up to support me. I think I was an advocate before I even understood what the word meant.”
Vertical Harvest Farms use hydroponic techniques to create farms in urban spaces. The company’s latest branch in Westbrook leverages technology to provide job opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Zoom and Google Chat enhance communication, while multimodal approaches are utilized in employee training to accommodate the diverse learning styles of individuals. The team at Vertical Harvest is striving to find a balance between automated farming with robots and hiring skilled workers to oversee the tech. Advancing technology is increasing job accessibility for diverse employee populations.
Inspired by the work of scientist and autism advocate, Temple Grandin, Yehia believes that old-fashioned, rigid job roles limit growth for the individual and the company. Instead, Vertical Harvest designs their job description around people’s strengths and makes an accessible application process that removes barriers to entry. Additionally, the company connects with local disability organizations, workforce development agencies, and vocational programs to let job seekers with disabilities know that there are job opportunities available.
“First and foremost, this is about smart business. We know that companies that embrace inclusive hiring gain access to a highly motivated, untapped talent pool made of the right people who bring problem solving skills, dedication, and fresh perspectives. We’re addressing this critical national labor issue. Right now, there are industries across the country who are struggling to fill positions, but at the same time, there are millions of capable individuals, especially people with disabilities, who are left out of the workforce due to outdated hiring models. This is a population who wants to work and deserves to work,” Yehia said.
Bank of America
Bank of America Maine is also dedicated to inclusive hiring practices, according to President Brian King. “One of our core values at Bank of America is to realize the power of our people. We also talk about how we encourage people to bring their whole selves to work, that’s just a part of who we are.”
Bank of America’s hiring process focuses on the “whole person,” rather than any perceived limitations. The goal is to identify candidates who are well-suited for the role and can make meaningful contributions to the Bank of America community. The key is to treat individuals with respect and recognize their value. Since banks play a crucial role in local communities, it’s essential that their teams reflect the diverse populations they serve.
“At Bank of America, we serve 70 million consumer clients across the United States, we serve every type of person. So, it’s important for us to represent our client base inside the company as well,” King says.
The Bank of America’s Belfast location recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. An important milestone, especially for the Belfast Support Services, who embody teamwork. The department performs fulfillment tasks such as printing, mailing, and document organization. King has known the team since the early days of his Bank of America career and is proud of the fact that 11 associates from the original Belfast Support Services team have been there since day one, for a full 30 years, emphasizing the retainment benefits of connecting the right candidates to the right roles. During a consolidation process, a decision had to be made about whether to keep the Belfast Support Services in a separate building or invest additional funds to expand an existing facility that would bring the teams together. In the end, Bank of America chose to invest in creating a space that would allow everyone to connect and work together as a unified community.
“Whether it’s me at my sit/stand desk, or somebody who may be restricted to a wheelchair, or somebody who may be hearing impaired, or someone who may not be able to see, it is important that associates have the accommodations and the ability to succeed personally and in their professional careers, and we’ll do whatever we can to ensure that happens,” King said about prioritizing a work environment conducive for all.
Goodwill’s Maine efforts
Photo / Courtesy of Goodwill NNE
Haley Hersey of Goodwill Northern New England
Goodwill Northern New England is dedicated to empowering individuals by working alongside community partners to provide access to crucial career resources and job opportunities. These initiatives are designed to help individuals gain the skills and support necessary to improve their overall quality of life. As Haley Hersey, the organization’s external communication specialist, explains, by focusing on this holistic approach, Goodwill helps individuals create a sustainable path toward success, not just in the workplace but in all aspects of their lives. This commitment to fostering long-term growth and independence plays a central role in shaping the community Goodwill serves.
“It’s always been at the core of who we are at Goodwill. This started in the early 1900s in Boston with Rev. Edgar J. Helms. He created a charity drive in the poor suburbs of Boston to support people and gave them stuff but realized that did not create a lasting change,” Hersey explained, “So, instead of just giving people items, he created jobs for people along the way. Whether that was stations for repairing clothing, fixing furniture, or encouraging people to sell their goods, that is how the Goodwill model started and expanded. In northern New England, we implement that Goodwill mentality, so our work focuses on supporting anybody with and without barriers to employment, and that includes disability.”
Last year alone, Goodwill of Northern New England placed 522 people into jobs and provided career services to 1,695 individuals with disabilities. Programs such as the Goodwill Work Readiness Bootcamp actively supports populations who face barriers to job entry. The bootcamp is a vocational rehabilitation program aimed at high school students with disabilities and provides students with the job skills and career counselors they will need to find a job after graduation. The service is free for students and has successfully served about 400 high schoolers in 70 schools throughout Maine.
The nonprofit also leverages its community contacts to ensure they are connected with the people who need services the most. By reaching out to Maine’s Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Coastal Counties Workforce Inc., Goodwill actively strives to make meaningful employment obtainable for people of all backgrounds and circumstances.
“We approach everything with the perspective that we’re helping all people, with or without barriers. We look at people as a whole person,” Hersey said, “Then we assess everything and help support them with achieving their work and life goals.”
Photo / Courtesy of Goodwill NNE
Goodwill of Northern New England offers a range of career opportunities.
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