MRS helps customer set goals needed to find career

“For me obtaining the goals that Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) had set means having a successful career and conquering my disabilities,” said Greyson. “MRS has been a huge help for me making sure I succeed.”

Entering the workforce is always a difficult task but when a young person has disabilities impacting their performance, it is even more challenging to succeed. This was the case for Greyson. He is employed at Great Lakes Stainless, a custom metal fabrication business in Northern Michigan, as a Welding/Assembly Apprentice. This position is full-time and requires a high skill level with multiple tools including sanders, grinders and buffers to make specialized metal pieces while maintaining a certain productivity standard to ensure the business can provide appropriate timelines for their customers.  After Greyson began his employment, productivity and efficiency were difficult tasks for him to meet.

His Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor had already initiated outreach with the Human Resource Manager at Great Lakes Stainless and set up a meeting to discuss how MRS could assist both the business and employee. His counselor invited one of MRS’ Business Relations Consultants to attend the meeting to learn more about the job Greyson was doing and to start discussions about strategies to help Greyson retain his employment.

During the meeting, Grayson’s counselor made some great recommendations for the business to assist with the tracking and timing of the tasks being completed, and the Business Relations Consultant discussed what reasonable accommodations could look like. Greyson brought his dedication and willingness to learn and meet standards to the table with a supportive employer.

After this initial meeting, Grayson’s counselor determined he would benefit from additional support of working with an Occupational Therapy Consultant. The Business Relations Consultant and the Occupational Therapy Consultant provided a worksite assessment along with accommodation recommendations to mitigate Greyson’s limitations including:

1.      Providing a preparations checklist prior to initiating quality inspection of parts, which would include:
             Tools and equipment needed for the task.
             Assuring all tools and equipment are plugged in and ready for use.
             Time frame for preparation such as taping or evaluating products.
2. Providing Greyson with his own cabinet or shelf space to help create a more organized workspace, decrease his distractions and time spent searching for items, and potentially enhance his ability to focus on the job at hand.
3. Providing Greyson with a detailed time management standard checklist that includes the expected timeframe spent on each task of finishing a product.

“When MRS gave me recommendations and goals to fulfill, it gave me something to focus on as I learned to be more efficient with my work and it helped me become faster in the process,” shared Grayson.

The Human Resources Manager with Great Lakes Stainless was vital in implementing those recommendations. As a result, Greyson’s productivity improved and his overall job performance was satisfactory.

Greyson’s case is an example of promoting collaboration between businesses and hardworking Michiganders. These efforts help individuals reach their full potential by removing barriers to employment, which in turn creates better employment opportunities and supports small businesses making Michigan’s economy more resilient.