Pilot Job Education & Training Program

INARF member and State Use Program employment center Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana is collaborating with The Literacy Alliance and Ivy Tech Corporate College to enhance employment-related skills of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

“People with developmental disabilities often possess basic attributes employers covet, such as dependability, loyalty and attention to detail,” said Donna Elbrecht, President and CEO of Easter Seals Arc. “We expect that clients who participate fully in JET will raise their skills to a level that makes them prime candidates for employment.” The pilot Job Education & Training (JET) program is conducted at Easter Seals Arc’s facility on Coldwater Road with funding to support the program provided by Northeast Indiana Works. 

The JET program began April 6 with High School Equivalency (HSE) classes taught by a Literacy Alliance instructor with the aim to improve foundational job-related skills of selected Easter Seals Arc adult participants, including skills in math, reading and language. Through Ivy Tech, the program recently incorporated curriculum based on the college’s Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) curriculum. The program is set to run until December 2015.