Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you get referred to AbilITy Connection?

All referrals come to Goodwill from your Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) Counselor. The Coordinator for AbilITy Connection is Peggy Dooley and she can be reached at Goodwill, at 414-353-6400, extension 236.

What are the steps to be accepted into the AbilITy Connection program?

The process starts with a discussion between the student and their DVR Counselor to get educated about AbilITy Connection. If they're interested, the DVR Counselor sends a formal referral to our AbilITy Connection Coordinator who schedules an initial interview to meet with the student. If there seems to be a good match between the student's objectives and our program, the student is scheduled for a second interview to meet with our Recruitment Committee.

If accepted into the program, our Mentoring Committee is notified and will begin to match the student with a mentor from one of our local businesses.

What is the next step after being accepted into AbilITy Connection?

You will receive an acceptance call from the AbilITy Connection Coordinator, and the Coordinator will match you with a mentor as soon as possible. It's important for you to meet with that mentor on a regular basis so you can start building relationship and get exposed to real-world information technology jobs and careers.

Our mentors and students also get together as a group on a monthly basis to discuss topics such as resumé writing, job interview skills, and web site design. We'll get you a schedule for those meetings so you can plan on attending. You will also be asked to complete an Individual Service Plan, which outlines your objectives and goals while in the program.

Who is eligible to participate?

AbilITy Connection is open to any disabled student who is enrolled in classes and pursuing a career in information technology.

The student must first be a consumer of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). Contact our AbilITy Connection Coordinator at 414-353-6400, extension 236 if you have specific questions about your eligibility.

What does it cost to be in AbilITy Connection?

There is no charge to students for the AbilITy Connection program. Funding is provided by DVR to cover Goodwill's costs for administering this program. Local businesses that are part of our Business Advisory Council participate on a volunteer basis.

How long will I be involved in the program?

It varies. Some students needed a job internship or part-time employment and were only in our program for 6 months. Others have been in the program for over 24 months while they pursued their school degree. The majority of students have worked with AbilITy Connection for at least 12 months, which exposes them to many mentor-related activities and gives them more time to develop that student/mentor relationship which will better prepare them for part-time and full-time employment.

Am I guaranteed a position as a result of working with AbilITy Connection?

No, and the job search and placement are ultimately the responsibility of the individual student. Our BAC companies have been very successful at finding opportunities for placing students in IT positions. The student's academic performance, the skills they've learned, and their persistence/initiative with the job search and networking, are the key factors that will help them find employment.

What kind of background do I need to apply to the program?

You need to be interested in "information technology" and be enrolled in school, actively pursuing a degree in that field. Most local businesses have strong training programs and can help with specific education and on-the-job training depending on your interests and their staffing requirements.

Will AbilITy Connection help me find a good job?

Yes, though it's important that you've participated in the monthly mentor meetings and have developed a relationship with your assigned mentor. There are no guarantees that you'll find a good job, but the Business Advisory Council meets regularly and has been very successful with internships, part-time and full-time placements.

Can I use my mentor as a job reference?

Probably, though it depends on the relationship you develop with your mentor. Talk with your mentor ahead of time to make sure he/she agrees to be used as a reference, and understand what behaviors and results he/she is looking for to make sure it's a positive reference.

Do I need to attend school in order to be involved in AbilITy Connection?

Yes, all candidates applying to AbilITy Connection must be enrolled in an accredited academic IT program. A career in information technology will require continued education and training. Contact the AbilITy Connection Coordinator for information about the IT academic programs at some of the local schools.

What is the relationship between AbilITy Connection and Goodwill? Do I need to be a Goodwill participant?

No, students don't need to be part of Goodwill, though they do need to be clients of DVR. Goodwill and DVR were two of the founding sponsors of AbilITy Connection.

Goodwill provides administrative support through Peggy Dooley, the AbilITy Connection Coordinator. They also support our Business Advisory Council (BAC) with their facilities, marketing support and resource development assistance.

The BAC is made up of the local businesses that provide AbilITy Connection with overall program leadership, a variety of volunteer resources, financial support, and opportunities for internships, part-time and full-time employment.

Who are the companies involved with AbilITy Connection?

Our Business Advisory Council (BAC) is made up of 35-40 local businesses and organizations including these.

Our company is interested in joining the BAC. How much money will we need to invest in AbilITy Connection? What's the time commitment?

It varies. There is no charge to become a member of AbilITy Connection, though our Re$ource Development Committee has an annual campaign to solicit funds for our financial assistance program. It's a great way to support our AbilITy Connection students, but participation in that campaign is strictly voluntary. Click here for more information on making a donation.

We also rely on a broad range of volunteers to serve as mentors, lead/staff committees, help coordinate and run monthly events and programs, etc.

We typically have one executive or management-level person who represents their company on the Business Advisory Council. That person attends our monthly BAC meetings and serves as your company's liaison into AbilITy Connection. The time commitment for that role is about 2 hours/month depending on your schedule, interests, and the committee responsibilities.

We also have a steady need for other volunteers who just want to serve as mentors. The time commitment for that role varies from 1-3 hours/month, and is very dependent on your schedule and your level of commitment. There is no limit to the number that can be involved from any one company.

What if I just want to find out about AbilITy Connection without committing to join?

The best way to find out about AbilITy Connection is to attend one of our "Road to Success" forums, held each Spring and Fall at one of our member BAC locations. We strongly encourage you to attend to hear more about AbilITy Connection, and to see first-hand what role IT plays in our area businesses. The AbilITy Connection Coordinator is also available to meet with you at any time.

You can find information about the forums on this website or you can call Peggy Dooley at 414-353-6400, extension 236.