• Putting People to Work - GCEPD Annual Awards Conference

Putting People to Work - GCEPD Annual Awards Conference

In the current state of the economy, jobs are scarce and qualified, excited employees are even scarcer. There is, however, a workforce out there that is qualified and ready to take on work tasks. This workforce also happens to be largely overlooked.

For people with disabilities (one of the largest untapped resources for the American workforce) finding the right job isn't always the problem. The problem often resides in getting the employer to look beyond the disability and any accommodations needed to realize that the individual with the disability is the right person for the job.

This year's Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) took a look at the ways in which employers see applicants with disabilities and ways in which people with disabilities can seek the best jobs for themselves.

Leslie Silverman, Commissioner for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission opened up the day with a talk on the legalities and issues surrounding the development and implementation of the ADA and the employment advances made possible through the ADA.

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Leslie Silverman gives the Keynote Address to a packed audience at the GCEPD Awards Conference.

With five sessions for people to choose from, ranging in topic from Work Options and Volunteering to Networking into a Job and Maximizing the Ticket to Work program, panels of individuals discussed the ways in which those with disabilities could maximize all work options in a tight job market.

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Mark Ostrowski, of Right Management Consultants, presents the session on Networking Into A Job.

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Debbie Ruth, founder and CEO of TecAccess, discusses Flexible Work Options both within and without her company.

With a registrant list that neared 200 people, the Awards Ceremony wasn't complete until Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. gave a brief speech on the importance of employing individuals with disabilities as many move from institutional living into community living homes.

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Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. speaks to the audience at the Governor's Awards Conference.
Governor Ehrlich also took time out of his day to take pictures with the awards recipients of the day.

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Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. with the 2003 Award Winners of the Maryland Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities.

The winners of the day included Frank Coombs of the International House of Pancakes in Forestville, Maryland who won the Chester A. Troy, Sr. Employer of the Year Award; Mary Dudderar of Westminster Maryland who won the Individuals Evie Cutler Public Service Award; The Lower Shore Enterprises of Salisbury Maryland who won the Organizations Evie Cutler Public Service Award; Co-winners Virginia Glynn of Salisbury Maryland and John Michaels Jr, of Frostburg Maryland who won the Outstanding Marylander with a Disability Award; and Christopher Zang of Bohemia Manor High School in Chesapeake City Maryland who won Outstanding Maryland Youth with a Disability.

The Maryland Technology Assistance Program, one of the Silver Sponsors of the day, was on hand to provide materials about the MD TAP organization and encourage attendees with disabilities to work with us as they seek assistive technologies to enable them to return to the workforce.

With the combined efforts of the companies and organizations in attendance at the conference, it is clear that Maryland is moving forward in becoming a leader in employing individuals with disabilities.