A New Jersey supply chain company is making its workforce more inclusive by partnering with a local nonprofit to train people who have autism, providing them skills to become competitive job candidates.
Bettaway Supply Chain Services, based in South Plainfield, is entering its third year of partnering with We Make – Autism at Work, a nonprofit that helps people with autism or an intellectual or developmental disability develop vocational skills. The program’s success is an example of what can be achieved in an inclusive work environment, which leaders hope will be replicated in other companies.
John Vaccaro, Bettaway president, said the company has provided over 7,000 hours of work experience to participants, who completed tasks with over 99% accuracy and exceeded productivity goals.
The initiative is personal for Vaccaro, whose son Frankie, 26, has autism. When the coronavirus pandemic shuttered programs, including the one his son attended at the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, Vaccaro opened up Bettaway to provide job training.
“As I walked through my warehouse every day, I saw the opportunities, and I thought to myself, ‘how could I not do this?’” Vaccaro told FreightWaves in an interview.
About 10 participants and seven program employees began using Bettaway as a training hub while they were not allowed to use the university facilities as a health precaution.
Christopher Manente, the executive director of the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, credited Vaccaro and his company with keeping the program alive during the pandemic. The Vaccaro family were founding members of the center, which provides support programs geared toward making an independent life possible for adults with autism.
Manente said Bettaway’s program with We Make provides excellent opportunities for adults with autism to gain needed vocational skills, such as getting used to a consistent work schedule, understanding the social aspects of working and discovering ways to be a good employee.
Eighty percent of people with autism are reported to be unemployed, according to the National Library of Medicine. Companies can benefit from hiring and retaining neurodivergent employees, who are typically more productive and are creative, Manente said. Yet fear of risk and liability, as well as a lack of established models, are barriers to widespread adoption, he said.
“I’ll open my doors and speak to any business owner or manager or leader [who] has fears and concerns,” Vaccaro said. “The opportunity is all over. It’s in every Amazon warehouse, every big box, every UPS center … the jobs and the work are there.”
The Rutgers program eventually returned to the university, but the seed was planted for Vaccaro. He met with We Make and was impressed by its program.
So far, about 150 participants have worked at Bettaway, gaining work experience and skills. Vaccaro said within 90 days, participants are performing the same tasks at the same standard as other employees.
Eric Lerea, 19, works at Bettaway through its partnership with We Make and said he enjoyed how he had learning opportunities to become a helpful colleague and team leader. Connor Fitzgerald, 29, echoed those sentiments and said he had an opportunity to strengthen social skills and gain friends from his employment.
“A job is so much more than a job,” said Moe Siddiqu, the executive director of We Make.
We Make’s goal is to help participants with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities gain access to meaningful employment and provides opportunities for them to do so. The model offers opportunities for socializing and also reassures parents that there is a path forward for their children, he said.
Bettaway was the first company to partner with We Make, which Siddiqu credited with helping launch the nonprofit and build its reputation.
“[Vaccaro’s] taken our model and embedded it into 700,000 square feet,” he said.
