Aquandre, an ambitious young man in Quest, Inc.’s Employment Services program, is thriving at his new job at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Apopka. He came to Quest through Florida’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program, a federal-state program that helps people with physical or developmental disabilities find and maintain employment. Quest’s Employment Services meets VR-eligible individuals where they’re at and works with them to find the right fit for a meaningful work experience.
“Finding and maintaining employment enhances persons with disabilities independence, builds social relationships and gives them structure to their day,” says Jason Turchin, an employment specialist at Quest, Inc. who helped Aquandre through his journey.
Jason helped determine Aquandre’s skillset and matched him with the best fitting job. “Aquandre never gives up and always has a great attitude no matter what the circumstances are,” says Jason.
Aquandre worked as a volunteer at the thrift store for the six-week program. The thrift store manager, Kimberly, appreciated his work ethic and willingness to learn. After he completed the program, she hired him as a part-time employee.
“He has a great personality,” she says. “He’s a bit shy, but once he’s comfortable, he opens right up. He is also ready to take on any challenges. He does exactly what he’s asked to do and he’s figuring things out fast.”
Currently, Aquandre is the Warehouse Assistant and works three days a week. His main duties are light custodial duties, cleaning donated items and testing small electronics.
Kimberly believes a diverse work force enriches a business. She’s adapted training methods to better suit the learning styles of her employees. “There’s a lot of information overload back there,” she says. “We have a break room that has a fish tank and watching it helps employees stay calm. Just taking a step back and slowing down helps everyone.”
For Aquandre, he’s really been enjoying working at the thrift store. “I like trying to help with the coworkers and customers,” he says.
As for the future, his vision is simple. “Still have a job. Get a girlfriend. Maybe a wife,” he says. “But one step at a time.”
About Employment Services
We help the individuals we serve find and maintain employment by identifying each person’s needs and preferences. This helps ensure job placement satisfaction for the employee and employer. Once placed in a job, we provide on-site job coahing to maintain retention.