Training Programs

More than 20 attendees from NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies participated in the 2024 NIB Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Forum held December 11-12 in Tyler, Texas. Co-hosted by Horizon Industries (a division of East Texas Lighthouse), the 2024 Forum provided the opportunity for NPA staff ranging from plant managers to operations, compliance, and agency leaders to […]

For 85 years, National Industries for the Blind has championed diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility through its enduring mission to create employment opportunities for people who are blind. Seventy percent of working-age people who are blind in the United States are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobless rate for people with […]

The 2024 NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo was a smashing success, with over 900 registrants from across the country attending the four-day event held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA. New this year were panel discussions with NIB associated nonprofit agency CEOs – including one composed of female CEOs who shared the […]

The NIB/NAEPB annual Training Conference and Expo (TCE), scheduled for October 14-18 in the nation’s capital, will offer a variety of exciting programming designed to empower employment for people who are blind. We will also recognize the 2024 Employees of the Year, representing NIB associated nonprofit agencies from across the country! To register for TCE, […]

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) – in partnership with the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind (NAEPB) – held its annual Public Policy Forum May 13-16 in Alexandria, VA.   The event, which has taken place for more than 15 years, was held at the Westin Old Town Alexandria, with 42 […]

Rebekah Grieb wasn’t concerned at the age of 12 when an eye doctor recommended she have some tests done. She was an athlete, active in basketball, volleyball, and softball. “There was no vision loss in my family that glasses wouldn’t fix,” she says, “or that wasn’t related to old age.” The eye specialist told Rebekah […]

This year marks an important holiday in the history of our nation: The 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. While most people are familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which will be 33 years old on July 26, fewer are familiar with the Rehabilitation Act. But the Rehab […]

Jonathan Lucus, executive director of NIB’s talent management enterprise, NSITE, joined Washington Business Journal (WBJ) Publisher Alex Orfinger recently on WBJ’s Executive Insights to discuss the challenges companies face in today’s tight labor market. Lucus explained how NSITE is working to open up new avenues for employers to diversify their talent search by connecting them […]

Previously known as rehabilitation engineering, NIB’s productivity engineering program offers a wide array of services to associated nonprofit agencies. Programs include facility planning, safety and ergonomics assessments, training, process analysis, and efficiency improvements – all designed to boost employment for people who are blind while ensuring workplace safety. “We believe the term ‘productivity engineering’ better […]

NSITE, NIB’s a talent management enterprise, supports employers and job seekers who are blind, visually impaired, and/or veterans throughout the career life cycle. Part 1 of this blog series looked at NSITE’s genesis and what it offers both job seekers and employers. This concluding post of the series provides an overview of the variety of […]