For Brian, success is just a commute away!

Nolan Speichinger has been working with Brian Rogers since December of last year. After determining that applying for an AbilityOne job would be the best strategy for Brian at the recommendation of his DARS counselor, they applied for jobs through a government contracting agency located in Northern Virginia. The AbilityOne program "is among the largest sources of employment, on Federal contracts, for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities in the United States.” Soon, they found a great position for Brian at a government facility in Washington D.C.!

There were many new challenges that Brian had to face with his new job, one of them being transportation. His daily commute in and out of the city usually averages one and a half to two hours and involves getting on the bus to the Franconia/Springfield station, getting off at the metro station, and walking to his nightly shift on time. When he returns from work, the bus is no longer in service and has learned how to order himself an Uber back to his home from the station. Learning this route was a huge achievement for Brian.

Being a man of routine, this job allows Brian to know what to expect with a reliable list of tasks to perform. Brian has been tasked with cleaning the basement of a major government building in D.C. and reports to his supervisors before every shift to receive his “route sheet.” His route sheet helps him to check off that he has pulled trash, vacuumed and made sure each room is ready for the next day.

With the support he has received from his family, job coach, and supervisors, Brian has been able to go from needing total supports to doing most of it independently. He has become more confident in himself and knows that he can do this job without a job coach overseeing his tasks throughout the shift. A recent improvement on the job has been his ability to call his supervisors when any questions, concerns or issues arise since he works by himself. He also went from not knowing how to use the metro system to now commuting successfully five days a week. 

With only three weeks on the job, Brian has achieved a great deal and we wish him continuing success in the future!