Mentors: Employers
Employer Testimonials
“Alyssa participated in a day of mentoring activities along with the marketing team at Infinity Software Development, Inc. She was attentive to our lessons and displayed enthusiasm for participating directly in the process. She displayed a passion for creative work. I feel these qualities will serve her well in her future endeavors.”
Director of Marketing for Infinity Software Development, Inc.
Leon County
“Greathouse Butterfly Farm was honored to host several individuals in accord with the State of Florida’s DMD day. I was amazed at the level of interest and desire to assist exhibited by those who were participating in the job shadowing experience. Participants displayed a genuine interest in learning and assisted with the tasks of our employees. I was also impressed at the level of attentiveness displayed and how seriously each person took the opportunity. I was touched by how thankful they both were for the opportunity and experience. To any employer, I would recommend hosting a group or an individual or two…if you are looking for staff with enthusiasm, interest, desire and willingness to assist. The experience from our perspective was enlightening, encouraging, uplifting and definitely beneficial and I am grateful for it.”
Renee Cooke
General Manager
Greathouse Butterfly Farm
"As an employer who is committed to providing gainful employment to people with disabilities, Publix offers more than just jobs to our associates – we offer career opportunities. We have associates with disabilities who have been employed with Publix for more than 10 years – the secret to our success? On the job training! Our associates with disabilities are able to receive the necessary training to allow them to move into different positions within our company. We are able to recruit these individuals on their own as part of the relationships we have built with a number of organizations in all the states that we operate to ensure that we are providing opportunities for persons with disabilities. Through these relationships we are able to lower our recruitment costs, because organizations refer applicants with disabilities to us and it helps us with retention as these organizations become more familiar with Publix. They know our expectations and are able to better prepare applicants for a career at Publix. The retail industry has higher turnover than most other industries. We have found that our associates with disabilities tend to be a loyal, committed and dependable part of our workforce."
Maria Brous
Director of Media and Community Relations
Publix Supermarkets, Inc.
"This is the first year for the [DMD] program here, and it was a good experience for the students as well as the staff. It's refreshing having young minds asking questions, and it was nice to have the staff explain about their jobs.”
Jamie White
Practice Manager
Animal Medical Clinic in Orlando
“Disability Mentoring Day is a truly unique program that allows companies to actively engage in two issues affecting citizens today, Corporate Social Responsibility and Positive Employment Initiatives. Education and exposure are keys to overcoming the biases that still exist today toward people with disabilities.”
Susan Belford
Educator & Wakulla County DMD Community Liaison
"It affords other businesses the opportunity to show the community what different businesses have to offer. It affords students with the opportunity to see what a great variety of businesses have to offer."
"Disability Mentoring Day reinforces my opinion that if a person wants to do something, regardless of their limitations, he or she will do so."
Anita Hinka,
Bureau of Business Enterprises
Jacksonville
"I had a really good experience [on Disability Mentoring Day]. Mentees presented themselves in a professional manner. I was really pleased that they asked a ton of questions which demonstrates their interest in one day joining the workforce."
Sonia Menedez
Goodwill Industries
Miami
"[Disability Mentoring Day] gives exposure to an unfamiliar work environment and provides mentees with an idea of careers that may be of interest to them in the future."
Camille Summers
98.5 WTKT Radio Station
Gainesville
"I believe that [Disability Mentoring Day] is a small way to give back to the community. Helps your particular industry grow and gain interest by bringing in new blood."
Tony Saladrigas
Meineke Auto Center
Miami, FL
" [Disability Mentoring Day] allows mentees to receive direct experience. It also allows them to see if what they read about different professions is really true. Disability Mentoring Day helps students with choosing their career path successfully."
[Disability Mentoring Day] made me aware of what changes needed to be made in certain areas of the hospital (i.e. the labs) in order for these areas to be more accessible to the disabled."
Tom Chmielewski
Tampa General Hospital
Tampa, FL
"The students where very enthusiastic about getting to spend the day with us in some of our department; very well behaved and eager to learned all that we had to teach them. We tried to make it a fun day as well as a learning experience we made them ID Badges, give them company t-shirts and had cake and ice cream for them at the end of the day and they enjoyed that so much."
"[Disability Mentoring Day] is a way to prepare our children for the "World of Work" by giving them the opportunity to experience it first hand. Also it allowed them to experience the many different careers associated with County Government."
"My perception has always been to employ individuals with disabilities because they are a vital part of our community and supply us with a strong employment base."
Diane Clinton
Human Resources Board of County Commission
Ocala, FL