Helping Disabled People Find Jobs: Why We Do What We Do

This article is part of NTI@Home's #WorkforceWednesday series, celebrating 30 years of the ADA by showcasing employment opportunities available for the 1 in 4 Americans with disabilities.

When NTI recruiter Anthony Clark talks with a potential candidate, he knows what they are going through. Clark started out working at home in remote call centers before transferring into a recruiting role.

“I appreciate it because I have a disability myself (as) I have immunosuppression,” said Clark. “Getting out of the house and working a long 40-hour week, probably isn’t a good idea right now, so I am thankful for my position.”

Helping Americans with disabilities find employment is both a personal and professional mission for the team working at the Massachusetts-based nonprofit NTI@Home.

“We are passionate about our mission to help others,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operating Officer. “From the first day our employees start, the focus is always on helping people find jobs and getting them help they need. We never waver from that, and every person is committed to it.”

American with disabilities have more than double the unemployment rate of able-bodied Americans. NTI@Home’s nonprofit services are designed to close this gap. Since 2016, NTI@Home has provided free training for over 4,300 Americans in jobs with major companies.

A mentor is assigned to anyone who signs up on the first day, works with them on building skills and applying for positions, and follows them until 90 days after they are on the job. Both the mentor and trainee are empowered by the progress they see. It’s something NTI@Home employees across the company see happening often, but it never gets old for them.

“The best days are when you move someone forward,” said Michael Sanders, who works in NTI@Home’s business development department. “You see something special in a person, visualize the potential that no one else sees, and show them something that they never thought they could achieve. The other day, I received a note from a candidate's son thanking us for guiding his mom back into work. Those are the best days.”

NTI@Home’s team relishes the opportunity to help Americans with disabilities get through the system and get back into the workforce.

“I called a beneficiary for his reimbursements, and he literally cried on the phone because he had been tight on money and he felt so blessed that we cared,” said Krissy Choset, a financial assistant with NTI@Home. “I was a crying mess when I got off the phone with him.”

Are you one of the 61 million Americans with a visible or invisible disability and looking for a work-from-home job? Visit www.ntiathome.org to register for an upcoming training seminar.

Interested in learning more? Hear directly from NTI agents and employees by visiting our newsroom and clicking “Voices of NTI”.