By The Dirkse CC Team
Upon meeting Phillip Beers, a 21 year old graduate from the Beaverton Community Transition Program, one can’t help but smile. His infectious grin and warm, friendly personality are contagious. Phillip doesn’t let his intellectual disability hinder him from his goal to work and he readily accepted the position of Dining Room Attendant at one of Beaverton’s favorites, Golden Valley Brewery.
With exuberant pride, Phillip prepares the dining room for customers by cleaning tables, booths and chairs, rolling silverware, and setting the stage for the lunch crowd. “When I’m here, it’s clean – it’s clean because of me. It’s my job”. His confidence shows in his work and as Manager Alex Kircher states, “Phillip definitely takes pride in what he is doing for us, and the rest of the staff really appreciates his help in getting the restaurant ready for our guests.”
Golden Valley is family owned and started in McMinnville in 1993. They serve fine, hand-crafted beers and food made from scratch using local, organic ingredients. Alex and his team not only provide an excellent venue for a business lunch or family dinner, but they have created an inclusive and diverse environment by hiring Phillip. Alex shared, “I’m very happy that we were able to make this work with Phillip and hope that he will continue to grow and learn new skills with us.”
This is also the goal of the team at Dirkse Counseling and Consulting, Inc., an agency contracted with The State of Oregon, with the mission of connecting motivated job seekers who experience disabilities with local employers who have a business need. Business Development Manager, Cindy Bahl and Employment Specialist Marta Bunse introduced Phillip to Alex and proposed this partnership. Their team also includes job coaches who help facilitate the training and integration of new employees like Phillip. “Golden Valley Brewery is an excellent example of the type of partnership we love to have with employers in our community”, said Ms. Bahl. If you would like to join GVB in the mission of creating a diverse workforce, please contact her today.
To learn more about employment opportunities, contact Cindy Bahl at 503-258-7715 (cindy@dirksecc.com).
The post (Dis)abilities + Work + Beaverton = No Problem! Meet Phillip Beers, Employed appeared first on Beaverton Resource Guide.