Creating Opportunities - A Story About Shane's Success

posted on Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Finding a job is a stressful task for most anyone, but Shane knew it's what he wanted to do in order to gain greater independence. Shane began working with EPI's employment program in 2015 with the ultimate goal of finding a job in the community. The path wasn't always smooth for Shane - he was quick to overthink things, hesitant of change, and sometimes skeptical of the entire process.

Shane began on a work crew through our Enclave program to develop prerequisite skills necessary to find success in a community job. Such skills included problem-solving, communication, and the ability to follow instructions. Shane worked with job coaches to push himself out of his comfort zone and learn to embrace change, and that's just what he did.

Shane quickly progressed through the job development process and gained helpful knowledge for resume building, interview preparation, and assistance determining the type of job he was looking for. He got a job with Pizza Ranch in August 2017 and it’s exactly the job he had hoped for. Shane’s employer is thrilled to have him on their team.

"If I could clone Shane, that would be great! He's awesome, and I couldn't be happier to have him on our team," said Todd Pearce, General Manager. 

Shane is celebrating his one year anniversary at Pizza Ranch. He feels comfortable riding the bus to and from work, he exceeds the expectations of his employer, and he loves earning a paycheck that embodies his newfound independence. Shane now receives minimal support from EPI staff, and he's gained the independence and confidence he's always longed for.

Shane's favorite part of his job? "Everybody works together…we're all a part of the team and they say I do a good job."