AT&T Selected as a 2014 Disability Matters Honoree

AT&T has been selected as a 2014 Disability Matters Honoree in the workforce category that represents Human Resource and related initiatives for the outreach, recruitment, career development and talent management of people with disabilities. Disability Matters annually honors organizations that through innovative, organizational approaches, programs and activities, result in the successful recruitment, support and outreach of candidates who either have a disability or dependent with special needs.

By providing opportunities for people with disabilities, AT&T is opening new doors and eliminating barriers that may have otherwise impacted growth. Following are a few of the many programs AT&T has to offer:

• AT&T’s Employee Resource Group IDEAL (Individuals with Disabilities Enabling Advocacy) helps enhance the understanding, awareness, and resolution of the challenges facing individuals with disabilities in the work place. It focuses on making technology accessible to the disability community and understands that universal design ensures overall business success.
• The Supported Employment program between AT&T and LaunchAbility® (formerly Special Care & Career Services) helps open the door to employment for capable individuals with cognitive disabilities that might not otherwise have been available. The program prepares them for life-long careers as loyal team-members by giving them the chance to prove themselves on the job.  The model includes on site, on-the-job training as well as extensive curriculum on both general employability skills and unique aspects of working in highly-regulated industries.
• Project capABILITY is a collaboration between an AT&T warehousing facility in Memphis, the Tennessee State Vocational and Rehabilitation Agency, and Goodwill to train and place job seekers. It has placed 30 individuals and continues to support Goodwill and the State of Tennessee in training candidates. Since the program inception, it has expanded to include five vendor-operated facilities and there are plans for more.
• AT&T Serves started in 2013 with a strategic supplier, VETCONNEXX (owned by a person with a disability), in conjunction with the Bobby Dodd Institute. Through this collaboration, 50 jobs for veterans with disabilities were created at AT&T; and within the next five years, AT&T is looking to grow that program to 1,000 veterans, disabled veterans and spouses.

To learn more about this honor, check out the news release.  You can also visit the AT&T Diversity site, or our Diversity Services media kit.