EDITORIAL: SCC academy demonstrates evolution of work
Sep. 5—The world of work is evolving because it has to.
From more flexible scheduling for existing workers to the recruitment of applicants who employers would have likely passed by a few years ago, the demand for workers and the resulting shift in workplace culture bodes well for tomorrow's employees in many ways.
The introduction of a new local program loudly speaks to how that monumental adjustment in thinking can open doors. South Central College just celebrated the end of its Uniquely Abled Academy, a first-of-its kind offering in Minnesota aimed at students with autism.
The intense program put the students through all-day classes for 12 weeks with an emphasis on learning specialized machining skills. Those skills can now be used by the participants to get jobs that are in high demand within the manufacturing industry or as a launching pad to higher education.
The man behind the vision for the academies, Ivan Rosenberg, aimed at using an educational model to tap into some of the characteristics of people with autism to use their strengths, such as an intense interest in a certain topic, an ability to focus keenly on precise details and an ability to perform mathematical calculations. The father of two autistic sons, Rosenberg put his idea into motion, and it was first adapted at a California aerospace company.
SCC leaders liked the focus of the program and contacted Rosenberg, who came to the academy's graduation, to get the program going here. This summer's academy was funded by a one-time innovation grant from the Department of Human Services, so the hope is that other support will come through to continue the valuable program.
Rather than pigeonholing potential workers as unemployable, the academy shows that a shift in emphasis by traditional institutions and workplaces can not only offer more opportunity to more workers, but it will help fill the many job vacancies in the state. It's a win-win for both employers and new employees.
