As we close out October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’d like to celebrate Maliek’s journey to employment at Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation!
After graduating high school, Maliek reached the transitional moment that all young adults face. What do I do after school? The Summit DD team stepped in to help Maliek along his path to adulthood. “At my first meeting with Maliek, he consistently stated he wanted to get a job,” shared Lori Nemec, Summit DD Employment Service and Support Administrator. After exploring various options with Lori, Maliek chose to participate in a local disability provider job development program, Community Connections of Northeast Ohio’s Employment Training Academy. The academy allowed Maliek to explore various job opportunities to discover his interests. He also learned how to set his alarm and plan out his work day to reach his goals.
In just a matter of months, Maliek became one of the top participants in the CCNEO Employment Training Academy! So he began working with his team to find his very first paid job. In June of 2024, Maliek landed a position at Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation. He helps to clean various park locations throughout the Cuyahoga Falls community. “I like my job. It’s fun!” shared Maliek proudly. “Maliek has been an asset to us. He works well with others on the team,” commented Michael Fallis, Assistant Superintendent at Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation.
“I am excited for Maliek’s future and his ability to maintain his own schedule with his support team in place,” shared Lori Nemec. Maliek is now looking forward to his next goal as a young adult, moving out on his own. Maliek’s day-to-day Summit DD Service and Support Administrator, Angie Collier, is stepping back in to assist him with his future goals.
“As a new SSA, I did not have the knowledge of the employment world. Having an Employment SSA like Lori has opened the learning door for myself in an area that I have little knowledge of to better support Maliek. I am grateful that Summit DD has created special assignment roles to support each SSA which in turn supports the people we serve to have an enriched life,” concluded Angie.
Want more employment success stories, check out Scott’s 35-year career at Acme!
