• About
  • My faith story
  • Whole30

annkilter

~ What ships are for…

annkilter

Tag Archives: employment

A Job Achieved

18 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Ann Kilter in Autism

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

asperger's, autism, disability, employment, joy, you're hired

Today Mary received a job offer/acceptance letter from the company that sponsored her training to become a certified computer technician for a government helpline. She begins six weeks of paid training at the beginning of February.

In April while we were eating lunch at Steak and Shake, Mary told me that she had signed up for computer certification course to qualify for a high tech computer helpline job. (https://annkilter.com/2014/04/07/marys-wishes/).

At that lunch, Mary told me that she was giving up on getting a job in accounting and was going to try something else. She had graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and had not found a full time job.

So this summer and fall, she took a 15 week course for computer certification. I took her to her class for 12 weeks every Monday and Wednesday evening. Then Ralph ended up in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. All of a sudden I couldn’t take her to her class. The building is an hour bus ride from our home. My plans for providing her with transportation fell apart. I didn’t know what to do. I cried out to God.

Then one of the gals in my Sunday School class took charge and arranged rides for Mary during the last three weeks of her course. She also arranged transportation so that Patty could get to her TA job at a local college. I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing this was to our family and especially to Mary and Patty.

Mary passed the certification test on the first try.

She had to get security clearance because this job is for a government contractor. And she starts the beginning of February with six weeks of paid training. Then she will be a Tier I Help Desk Technician. She will be paid a living wage, with health benefits. God’s provision is wonderful in the midst of trials.

I told Mary that the events of this fall demonstrates that we cannot be depended on to meet her needs. I pray that I will be able to take her to her job, and maybe if Ralph recovers enough, he can retire and provide transportation, but there are no guarantees. She may have to make arrangements to live on her own and find her own transportation (by bus most likely) sooner than we had planned. Maybe we will move to a two bedroom apartment closer to her job by bus and she can live with us for a few more years.

Still, she received the email with Job offer/acceptance letter while we were out shopping today. As we were driving home, she said that she had spent the last two hours in a state of pure happiness.

You're hired

Job Reality!!!!

28 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by Ann Kilter in Achievement, Asperger's syndrome, Autism, Disability, faith, high functioning autism, Independence, Miracles, Thankful, Transition issues

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

asperger's, autism, employment, grace, hope, job, transition

Mary just received a call from the nonprofit she interviewed at two weeks ago. She will be starting next week for two four hour shifts on Tuesday and Thursday, and she will keep her other 6-hour a week job at the homeless shelter.

When I got home, Mary told me that they wanted to hire more than one person. And also, if she did the job well, there could be an increase in hours. Mary was right; the interview did go well.

The interview came about in part because her caseworker helped set up the interview and advocated for her. And her supervisor at the homeless shelter also probably gave her a recommendation. And Mary has confidence and competence because of her volunteering for a year and then doing paid work for the homeless shelter.

She has a chance to prove her ability.

One more step toward independence. One more step toward leaving the harbor.

Patty, my youngest daughter, says it could happen sooner than I think.

Finding a job in the post education world

02 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by Ann Kilter in Transition issues

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

autism, college graduate, employment, superstar, transition, worry

My son, the superstar senior, is having difficulty finding work in the post-education world.  He succeeded beyond our wildest dreams in high school. He graduated first in his class in a small high school (a graduating class of 73). He was a superstar senior in the local newspaper. He played the xylophone, marimba, chimes, and bells in Marching Band for four years. He scored a 28 on the ACT. His grade point average was a 3.96. His school did not offer or consider weighted grades (that was for his sister), but he took the hardest classes offered. He did not take anatomy and physiology because he didn’t want to dissect a cat. He has a very soft heart for animals that we have as pets. He gave the speech, after much labored practice, before his graduating class.

He went to college at our local Christian college with substantial scholarships. He graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at the college, he played in the symphonic winds all but one semester. He had a friend in college, Steve, whom he met during orientation. Steve was a friend all through college. Overall, college was a very positive experience.

Now it has been six months since he graduated and he has not found a job in his field of study. This is very upsetting for both him and us. He worries that he may not be able to find a job, any job, because he has had help all the way through college, and also getting the jobs that he has had.

He worked with his father, my husband, at a warehouse his first two years of college. He was a very diligent and hard worker.His father helped him get that job.

He got a job in food service the last two years of college, with the help of the disability services director. He was diligent and punctual in this job. He always looked for additional things to do.

He worked at the local state university as an “intern.” This was arranged by the local state rehabilitation agency.

The problem is that he so far has not been hired by anyone that has interviewed him. He has an excellent resume, an excellent academic record, and excellent work record. And he wonders, and I wonder too, if he will be able to get a job on his own. Will he be able to succeed in his field of study?

There are extenuating circumstances: The economy is awful – they call it the “Great Recession.” It turns out that his field is highly competitive.

But the big question is, is it because of autism. Somehow, his mannerisms and tendency to talk to much are off putting. So we worry. I know that we need to be anxious for nothing. To lay it before the Lord. Father, help my son to find a job in his field…a job close to home…that he can drive to. Father, help him. Help him. Don’t we all have help?

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 526 other subscribers

Top Posts & Pages

  • About
  • Not Like Mom
  • Ten Things I Wish Were True
  • Throwing Off the Label
  • Mary's Wishes
  • New Year's Goals, Wishes, Changes, etc.
  • Uncertainty
  • Anxiety Overload
  • Battling Isolation
  • Emotional Meltdowns

Finally, I’m on Twitter

My Tweets

Recent Posts

  • The Monster Wakes UP
  • So Many Advertisements, So Little Time
  • Blocking Bullies
  • Incomplete Without You – a lecture by Erik W. Carter
  • Collateral Damage
  • He’s Left The Harbor
  • Character and Determination
  • Don’t Get Me Started – A Rant About Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling
  • Exceptionally Forward
  • If Not For Autism….

Parts of my life not related to autism: annkilter2

Egg Drop Soup for Breakfast

Confession – Cheating on the Whole 30

Chocolate chili lunch

Day one completed, Day two here we come

Lidia’s mustard italian dressing.

Blogroll

  • California
  • Fever, flu linked with autism in pregnancy
  • Get Support
  • Joy In the Valley
  • Just a Thought Devotionals
  • Snagglebox – Autism Parenting Support
  • Social Stories
  • When the Enemy asks Questions about Disability
  • Wonderfully Wired – Created to be Remarkable

Recent Comments

Jerry on So Many Advertisements, So Lit…
Lilka Finley Raphael on So Many Advertisements, So Lit…
rachelcarrera on Blocking Bullies
Ann Kilter on Blocking Bullies
Ann Kilter on Blocking Bullies

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • annkilter
    • Join 489 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • annkilter
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...