UNION GROVE, Wis. — As he stood in the commercial kitchen at Shepherds College in Union Grove, Ian Blechacz quickly realized that no matter how far you rise in the culinary world, chopping vegetables will always be a necessary task.
Blechacz is a second-year student at Shepherds College, an accredited college that focuses on teaching career skills to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. On one particular day, Blechacz was chopping tomatoes and red peppers to make soup.
Blechacz said he isn’t sure what job he will have after graduation, but what he does know is that finding a fulfilling career is important to him.
“Finding a job that is the best fit for you is just good, [an] important thing for you to have. You need to be able to continue learning and improving the skills,” said Blechacz.
Adults with disabilities often have a much harder time finding employment than the general population. Only 21.3% of adults with disabilities were employed in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Shepherds College President Tracy Terrill said employment rates for their graduates are far higher than the national average. He said about 80% of Shepherds College graduates find work in their field of study.
The school offers programs in culinary arts, horticulture and information technology.
Terrill said while preparing students for productive careers is a key focus, students can’t realize their potential unless employers hire them and recognize their unique skill sets. He said he hopes employers realize that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can actually add to their workplace.
“When they are employed, they are contributing to the success of the organization. It is not just done out of charity,” Terrill said. “Yes, charity, compassion, giving them the opportunity is important, but you also want them to develop skills and use the strengths that they have and abilities they have to contribute to the organization.”
In a day where hiring is a challenge for many businesses, Terrill said there is often an opportunity for his students.
“Oftentimes they may need an accommodation or two. Hopefully part of what we are doing is training the student so they can walk into an interview and communicate what accommodation they would need in the workplace,” Terrill said. “For the employer who takes the chance on that student, oftentimes that is going to be wildly successful.”
Terrill said he is happy that employment numbers are rising for adults with disabilities, but he also hopes those jobs pay fairly and provide employees with a sense of purpose.
Shepherds College partners with many businesses in Racine County and surrounding areas to provide off-site internship-style programs for students during their third year of study.