Employment Articles

The following employment-related articles have been provided by jobPostings Magazine.
	Accessing Assistive Technology Let's face it: Apple is cool. Apple is cool for a variety of reasons, but mostly because they are innovative. Five years ago, who would have thought that a blind person could use a touch screen phone? (Apple, apparently.)
	Learning Through Space A career centre is your life line to full and part-time employment and helps you make that tricky transition from school to career. The array of services offered vary from campus to campus, but every now and then, we here at jobpostings hear of a particular career centre that is going above and beyond.
	Keeping an Open Mind In 2007, Jennifer Dillon graduated from York University with her bachelor's of environmental studies. Realizing the importance of project management in the environmental field, she went on to complete her certificate in project management at Ryerson University in June 2009.
	Risk takers, career makers For a person with a disability, wanting more than just a job that provides accommodation can be discouraging - after all, shouldn't you just be grateful to have a job? The answer is no, according to the Jennifer Dillon, Jennifer Richardson and Carrie Moffatt, three Canadian careerists who plan a lot more in their futures than just punching a time clock.
	A lesson in becoming your own boss As founder and president of three companies, Pilote says being his own boss is demanding, yet it affords him enough time to manage his daily challenges.
	Prepping for the interview The anxiousness I feel when preparing for a job interview starts long before I walk through the office doors of my potential employer. The first worry I have is whether or not the work environment is accessible and how my potential boss is going to react to finding out that I have a physical disability.
	Educate your employer Treat others as you want them to treat you. Sounds simple, right? Not so. In the workplace this message may be lost on an employer unaware of what it's like for a new hire with a disability.
	NEADS project envisions more careers in science Mahadeo Sukhai's interest in science was sparked when he was six, thanks to a book on astronomy, given to him by his parents. Now he's a 30-something post-doctoral cancer researcher at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.
	Hidden disabilities: Out of sight, not out of mind Like many Canadians, I struggle with an invisible disability. Coming to terms with it and getting accommodation for it, to make my learning environment more accessible, took time and confidence. There was help out there for me, but I needed to be able to reach past the stigma I felt to get it.
	Why Dignity is Job Number 1 Finding that job and creating a workplace with respect and equality is a two way street, says David W. Shannon. Because dignity is not just about one aspect of an individual's life, or about one aspect of society, we all need a more open mind to reverse social and attitudinal barriers. Personal care, social welfare and medical support can be key elements of meeting a disabled person's immediate needs on the job.
	My Long Journey From School to Work Avril Rinn has some tough talk for students with disabilities who are entering the job market. Like most sound advice, it may be uncomfortable to hear - but that's the kind of advice which is most valuable.
	Just Enjoying Life NEIL GRAHAM studied Math at the University of Winnipeg before completing his Masters in Computer Science at the University of Toronto. Five years after being hired on at IBM, his lengthy title of Manager C++ Compiler Front-End and Runtime Development sounds a lot more technical than his actual role, which finds him working more with people than computers. But Graham is not complaining. He is the company's first blind manager in its history, a position he is very proud of, yet pleasantly surprised to be in.
	From Dream to Reality Losing his sight at 12 is probably the greatest challenge Aaron Marsaw has faced to date. After a surgery to remove a tumour behind his eye left him blind, with only 2 per cent peripheral vision in one eye, he had to re-learn how to do everything from reading and writing to walking to feeding himself without winding up wearing half of his meal. “After overcoming the sight impairment, with the encouragement of family, friends, the school system and the community, I embraced the philosophy of never giving up. I learned that I'm able to lead a full and active life just like anyone else. That realization has probably been my greatest strength in terms of taking on subsequent challenges,” says Marsaw.
	Build Your Team for Success It's a wonderful time for people with disabilities, says Stephen McDonnell. Employers are competing to find the best talent, and people are understanding accommodations. But, says the senior adviser on talent management and diversity at BMO Financial Group, it's important everyone has support in place to help them make the journey from school to work.
	Becoming a Self-Advocate "You're hired for your strengths not for your deficits or challenges. Your focus should be on what you can do and on articulating that to the potential employer"