Doug Goist, workforce development program manager for NSITE, National Industries for the Blind’s (NIB) talent management enterprise, spoke with Shelly Howser, host of the Disability Talks: Don’t Dis My Ability podcast for Abilities in Motion in November and December 2021. Abilities in Motion, located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, offers services, education, and advocacy for more than 3,000 individuals with disabilities in counties throughout the commonwealth.
In the first podcast, Goist describes his experience with gradual loss of eyesight due to retinitis pigmentosa, rehabilitation programs, and how being blind changed his career plans. Recognizing that employers cannot ask applicants about their disabilities, he explains how a positive and confident approach to disclosing not just disabilities, but how one accomplishes tasks required in a position, can lead to job interview success.
In the second podcast, Goist discusses NIB – a central nonprofit agency of the AbilityOne Program® –NSITE, and connecting people who are blind with career opportunities that are appropriate for their skills and abilities. Goist and Howser also examine the ways the pandemic has shifted the mindset of employers about people working from home and how that shift can benefit people who are blind. Finally, Goist outlines how the NSITE team collaborates with candidates and employers, addressing common stigmas and showing how assistive technology – which can include everything from eyeglasses to screen readers and more – can open up a range of employment opportunities.
Click here to listen to the podcasts. https://www.abilitiesinmotion.org/podcast