Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin (DSAW) and Engauge met in July 2020 to discuss a possible partnership. DSAW had individuals they represented that had never been introduced to the world of manufacturing and were not aware of the career possibilities manufacturing could provide. Engauge was able to utilize our outsourced project work facility to find work that was a good fit for the Associates of DSAW. From the interview process, to training, to performance feedback, and more, the Associates were able to gain real world experience. This lead to not only the Associate’s own discovery of skills they did not know they were cable of, but also the ability for Engauge to better move them into a true manufacturing career path.
At Engauge, we believe meaningful work can change lives. Our partnership with DSAW, whose mission follows the same ideologies as Engauge, expands our ability to reach and change the lives of individuals. We value the unique perspectives different populations bring and are passionate about helping Clients successfully embrace workforce diversity.
Through our partnership with DSAW we have successfully added to the skill set of their members, and through this we not only increase their confidence, but also make stride towards achieving the goal of placing them with our employer partners. Jayvion, one of our associates from our DSAW, allowed us to interview him about his time with Engauge and he highlighted various aspects about Engauge Workforce Solutions partnership with DSAW.
He touched on how working at Engauge is fun, he likes working with the pieces and seeing what goes into a product! He also spoke very highly of his boss, who he thought he was very nice, high energy and made him enjoy working.
Jayvion’s job at Engauge is important to him because is learning how to build and come together as a team. Working at Engauge has also given him the ability to develop not only his manufacturing skills but also his social skills. He has learned how to meet new people and how to socialize with different groups of people.
The success of the program through Associates like Jayvion has allowed us to open up more positions to DSAW’s clients and we continue to work together to identify career paths for these individuals.
Our commitment to working with diverse, often overlooked, populations has allowed us to match the right talent to the right job. By working with DSAW we have been able to collaborate and prove how individuals with Down Syndrome and other related disabilities are more than capable of succeeding in manufacturing. We value community outreach programs and the passion their teams bring every day to improving the futures of those they work with. DSAW has been a model partner throughout this entire process and we look forward to a continued, successful partnership.
