ALPENA - As part of a nationwide quality work environment initiative from its parent organization, North Eastern Michigan Rehabilitation and Opportunity Center, Inc. is about to open a classroom to accommodate vocational training and communications with its employees, and also will open its doors to other functions of nonprofit organizations and service clubs in the community.
National Industries for the Severely Handicapped started the QWE initiative in 2009 to increase long-term employability of people with mental, physical, or social disabilities by implementing changes in the working environments of NISH's AbilityOne program affiliates, such as NEMROC. Following the dissolution of the local court's turning point program for which it was used, NEMROC's classroom fell into relative disrepair and became a storage room. NEMROC CEO David Szydlowski said it was the ideal place to start a new employee training curriculum.
"The program left there in 2008 or 2009, and since then the room has been shut down," he said. "When NISH came up with this QWE program, we thought, 'Let's take this room and turn it into something.'"
The room underwent a comprehensive overhaul from August to January with help from a dozen local businesses to reconstruct, refurnish and outfit the space for optimal educational and multi-purpose use with an overhead projector, a sound system, four computer stations, a kitchenette set, and seating for over 40. Local business contributions, along with grants from NISH and the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, will have paid for most of the approximately $35,000 project before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 26.
Szydlowski said this new classroom will serve serveral purposes at NEMROC; first as a reorientation program to standardize training and keep employees up to speed on regulations, job descriptions and expectations, and general matters of policy and procedure, but also as an opportunity for advancement through further training as well as tutorials on resume writing, soft skills, financial management and other employability issues.
"If they're willing to take on more responsibility, we believe the end result will be greater efficiencies, and we will be able to pay them more," he said. "My job is to provide them the tools to be successful at what they do ... This will demonstrate that we're willing to invest in their capabilities."
Szydlowski said he expects some of this to come through paying for pre-existing community programs, though the classroom's uses will evolve every year. In return for the unhesitating support of so many local businesses and community members that made possible so many of NEMROC's operations since opening in 1968, it will make the room available to other local non-profits or service groups at no cost.
"The community was there, and has been there for us for many years," he said. "We call ourselves a success of a community decision made 43 years ago, because we are self-supportive. It's a way of giving back."
Andrew Westrope can be reached via e-mail at awestrope@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.