Transcript

VR Workforce Studio Singers:  Singing V-R Workforce Studio.

Katrina Davis:  People who suffer from substance use disorder are highly resilient people. And if I can do it, then I know others can.

Jake Hart:  Four, three, two, one. VR Workforce Studio, podcasting the sparks that ignite vocational rehabilitation through the inspiring stories of people with disabilities who have gone to work.

Flora Frazier:  Working in a field that I understand.

Jake Hart:  As well as the professionals who have helped them.

James Hall:  A job and a career, you got to look at how life-changing this is.

Jake Hart:  And the businesses who have filled their talent pipelines with workers that happen to have disabilities.

Debby Hopkins:  To help expand registered apprenticeship.

Jake Hart:  These are their stories.

Megan Healy:  Because there’s such a great story to tell about people with disabilities.

Jake Hart:  Now, here are the hosts of the VR Workforce Studio, Rick Sizemore and Betsy Civilette.

Rick Sizemore:  Welcome to the VR Workforce Studio podcast. February 2025 marks our 10th anniversary of podcasting the Sparks that Ignite Vocational Rehabilitation. We’re so honored to have been on this journey, bringing the inspiring stories of people with disabilities to our community, including individuals with disabilities, their families, the champions of business and industry who hire them, and the dedicated VR professionals who’ve made it their mission to help build inclusive talent pipelines.

Betsy Civilette:  While referred to as the nation’s voice for powerful and compelling success stories of vocational rehabilitation, this podcast has been recognized for Excellence in Media by the National Rehabilitation Association. And we’re thrilled to be slated for the opening session of this year’s CSAVR Spring Conference in Bethesda, Maryland, as we host the CSAVR, VR Workforce Consumer Showcase podcast. And we’re so delighted to be with you today.

Rick Sizemore:  Yeah, episode 129 today, Pathways to Careers, and later in today’s show, the Wizard of the Warehouse. So we traveled down to Backcountry, Anthony Belcher and Bryan Bowen, our Senior HR business partner with Backcountry are here to celebrate Groundhog Job Shadow Day with a new video that you can find up on our YouTube channel. We’ll of course have links to that in the show notes, along with all of the other resources and information from today’s podcast at VRWorkforceStudio.com.

Betsy Civilette:  Well, so today’s show is jam packed. We have a special report from the always entertaining and informative Heather Servais, in our National Clearinghouse Report. A must hear if you are a VR professional, a person with a disability or a family member interested in resources that are available to support vocational rehabilitation and disability employment.

Let’s dive in. We are thrilled to have Katrina Davis with us today whose inspiring journey as a person with a disability exemplifies the power of vocational rehabilitation and registered apprenticeships.

Rick Sizemore:  That’s right. With support from the DARS Pathways to Careers grant, Katrina’s transition from an apprentice peer recovery specialist into workforce development, where she now supervises a team and continues her educational journey.

Betsy Civilette:  And also joining us in the conversation is Katrina’s vocational rehabilitation counselor, Aline Jackson-Diggs, who is a registered apprenticeship liaison, working through the Pathways to Careers grant. And Aline has been instrumental in connecting Virginians with disabilities to high demand, high growth industries.

Rick Sizemore:  Aileen and Katrina, welcome to the show.

Katrina Davis:  We’re glad to be here. Good morning.

Rick Sizemore:  Good morning, good morning. Well, Katrina, we welcome you to the podcast. We are so delighted you’re here, this story has such depth. Katrina, you were a peer recovery specialist apprentice. I think the common term in the industry is a PRS. Correct? Is that right?

Katrina Davis:  Yes.

Rick Sizemore:  Folks refer to, that’s PRS. That was an apprenticeship through civilian cyber, and then you became a certified peer recovery specialist with the Atlantic Outreach Group. There are so many layers to how this works, 500 hours of training, how one progresses through the steps, how the grant support is involved. So, let’s start at the beginning, if you could, Katrina, tell us a little bit about your story, maybe mention your disability, and how this amazing journey unfolded landing you in an ever-evolving career at Atlantic Outreach Group.

Katrina Davis:  So I started, I came to Richmond to the First Start program for rehabilitation purposes. I suffered from a substance use disorder and I graduated the program. And then I was welcomed back to be a house leader, which they now call RRA, a recovery residential advisor. And then as I transitioned out of that position, I took the PRS class and with civilian cyber, and at that time I was in the register with the apprenticeship with DARS and they provided some trainings. They paid for the PRS class. And then once I got certified, I got to lead the Workforce Development team. I’ve since then handed the Workforce Development over to run a program called Transitions, which is like the transitioning from rehabilitation to be ready for sober living. So, the purpose of the program that I’m running is to foster independence.

Betsy Civilette:  Wonderful. So, becoming a peer recovery specialist apprentice is in and of itself and a significant achievement, but you’ve grown into so much more and now head up this program. You mentioned Transitions, tell us more about this exciting new venture for you.

Katrina Davis:  Well, it’s a program that they kind of just started and we’re working it from the ground up, but it’s for the people that maybe need more than just 90 days, right? They might need that extra 30 days to find employment, to be more self-sufficient, and grow with stability and structure. Our senior RAs, our house leaders over there, they’ve been house leaders for a minimum of nine months, and they kind of help guide them and redirect them to be more independent in the 30 days. So they have more freedoms and less rules and regulations, but it helps them get on their feet and be able to find jobs. They have less hours of IOP commitment, so it’s a little more of a relaxed program to help them transition to being ready for sober livings.

Rick Sizemore:  Well, we hear so much in the recovery community, this discussion that people who have enrolled in recovery, they’ve moved ahead in their life, have this enhanced capacity to be helpful to people who are on the same journey. What’s your take on that? Because you’ve walked this path, do you have a greater capacity to help others?

Katrina Davis:  So, definitely I think I do have a greater capacity to help others. I’ve always been more of a helper, but just being in recovery alone has helped me set goals. So I’m working on, I’m going to school now for my CSAC, I’m in the last semester doing the internship, and then I’m going to continue my education to get a bachelor’s degree. So, I definitely would say for me it did, I can’t speak for everybody.

Rick Sizemore:  Right, right. Aline, can you tell us more about the role of the registered apprenticeships and how they provide a pathway to meaningful employment for people in recovery and individuals with disabilities in general?

Aline Jackson-Diggs:  I am going to answer that question, but I have to first parallel registered apprenticeships with what Katrina is doing in her program and how she’s mentoring. So, I was listening to her and I was like, oh my gosh, she’s a mentor, she’s a resource, and it really is pairing up to the apprenticeship model overall.

How does apprenticeship help our individuals with disabilities? How has it made a difference? Well, I think the most important segment of apprenticeship, the most important component is it offers an ideal learning model, especially for individuals that are visual and hands-on learners. Unlike the traditional work environment where this type of learning is often limited, registered apprenticeship provides mentors who offer guidance, they answer questions and they provide direct assistance.

And overall, I think the benefits of registered apprenticeships stem beyond individuals with disabilities. Many people appreciate the hands-on learning, I do myself. They appreciate mentorship and support the registered apprenticeship model and the support that the registered apprenticeship model provides. It’s a powerful pathway to a meaningful employment and long-term career growth for anyone looking for a more tailored, supportive learning environment.

Betsy Civilette:  Katrina, we understand you’re continuing your education and pursuing certification. Can you tell us again what the certification is and what motivates you to keep learning and growing?

Katrina Davis:  So, I’m currently working on the CSAC certification, which stands for Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Assistant. I’ll be able to have some clinical knowledge and work with a supervision person. So, I’ll have someone who has a license or background that oversees the things that I do, like individual service plans and intakes or orientations, but it just gives me kind of a feet on both sides. So I’ll have the PRS, the Certified Peer Recovery specialist, but I’ll also know more of the clinical side so that I can be more beneficial to the community that I serve.

Rick Sizemore:  Well, there’s such energy in your answers and it’s leading me to ask Aline, what made Katrina’s journey particularly successful? How did DARS support her along the way and how was Pathways to Careers involved in creating this great experience for Katrina?

Aline Jackson-Diggs:  Well, first of all, I’m going to be a little biased. She’s from the Valley as Rick and I am, so you can understand that that’s quality material. But Katrina, she’s just highly driven, she’s self-motivated, and she’s very determined. She took advantage of all the DARS resources that were available to her. She just dug right in, just took the leap. And with our support, she was provided valuable information about apprenticeship, and the services that DARS offers, through our regular VR services, but also through the Pathways grant. And she was able to make informed decisions that best aligned with her career pathway. So honestly, when you are working with a candidate like her, she made it easy, but she really was the driving force behind everything.

Betsy Civilette:  Yeah, and Katrina, it sounds like, yes, you definitely put in the work and it’s paying off now. So, what advice would you give to someone with a disability who might be considering a registered apprenticeship program?

Katrina Davis:  I would tell them that it’s absolutely the greatest way to learn in an environment that fosters independent growth and where you have the support you need to make the connections and resources that you do.

Rick Sizemore:  Yeah. Well, Aline, what are some of the key industries where you see significant growth and opportunities for individuals with disabilities? Especially people who have that grit like Katrina has, where can people go to apply their talents and create a career for themselves registered apprenticeships?

Aline Jackson-Diggs:  I’m going to go right back to where we are now, and that’s the healthcare industry and particularly, there is a need in substance abuse programs. And this registered apprenticeship model is perfect for the different programs and positions that are offered within that category. There’s often significant opportunities through the pathways of the peer recovery specialist, the PRS. And now we have created a new apprenticeship, which is your residential recovery advisor, which is like your house leader. And these positions, they just provide a strong foundation for career advancement as we see with Kat, offering individuals the potential to move up from entry-level roles to supervisor position and even pursue professional licensures, such as becoming a professional licensed counselor, an LPC. And this allows individuals just to build on lived experiences, gain from formal credentials. I mean, excuse me, and gain formal credentials and take on greater responsibilities in the behavior health field. So, that’s one of the fields that’s growing. It’s just being watched.

And then also, I’m going to say there’s an opportunity in IT, that’s a newly explored option as well. So, not as many apprenticeships are available, but we are working towards creating more, working with our partners, our community partners such as the Workforce Board, Virginia Works, registered apprenticeship division, all the different agencies that are interested in creating these opportunities. And an opportunity to raise fundings to make these positions available. Also with the IT, we’re looking at different ways, it’s pretty vast, so just trying to narrow down a category to get these guys in training. So help desk is one of the areas that we’re looking at. Then as we all know, AI is coming forth and it’s a big trend. So, trying to get people engaged in the AI perspective, but also the cloud. Again, all of that is a lot of different areas, but IT is a focal point.

But then lastly, we’re looking at trades because they remain valuable and they are a viable option for career advancement. And with many local community colleges and workforce development agencies offering the training and pre-apprenticeship opportunities. And I must say that Wilson Workforce Center is offering a pre-apprenticeship under their Building Trades program.

Rick Sizemore:  Awesome.

Aline Jackson-Diggs:  So, it provides individuals with skills and qualifications needed to enter into these high demand fields such as construction, plumbing, and electrical work. Not only does it offer a stable employment, but also the potential. And here we go, the career growth and entrepreneurship in the trade sector. Again, going back to what this grant is all about, Pathways for Careers.

Rick Sizemore:  Well, we’re going to take just a quick break from our interview with Katrina to welcome David Leon, who’s the Director for Workforce Programs, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. He also leads the Disability Innovation Fund grant, which is behind this wonderful work in the Careers to Pathways grant that Katrina and Aline talked about.

David, tell us about this. I think you call it a DIF grant, disability innovation fund, and what your reaction is to hearing its impact in someone’s life like Katrina’s.

David Leon:  Thank you very much, Rick. First and foremost, Disability Innovation Fund grants are designed as demonstration projects to try things to stretch what we think of as quality vocational rehab programming, and to get better at the work we do to increase the outcomes for the participants we serve. And Katrina’s story is a perfect illustration of what that can look like. Someone who comes for help, establishes a career path with goals, and we’re able to focus on registered apprenticeship and peer recovery specialists. In Katrina’s case, she’s now got that first step and is going to be working towards a long career with successive opportunities for increased earnings and credentials, as she moves along a path that doesn’t start and end with a visit to VR, but is a way to point towards the future.

The other nice thing about these grants is it lets us work on things that maybe we didn’t do so well earlier or didn’t think about. And one of our key goals in this grant for DARS, how can we intentionally our work with partners and registered apprenticeship? I am really excited to say that in the last calendar year, we assisted 26 participants enter into registered apprenticeships around the state. That is a significant increase.

Rick Sizemore:  It is.

David Leon:  So when you talk about the value, you learn how to do something differently, you identify partners, you work with those partners to identify career pathways and assist. The sky is the limit, and we can now better offer the, learn while you earn opportunity, through counseling and guidance and finding employer sponsors across the entire commonwealth. It’s a great example of how a Disability Innovation Fund grant can increase our work with our other WIOA titles for the most important person, which is the person coming in to receive services for employment. The individuals that go through this program will have the opportunity for self-sufficient wages, and that’s what it’s all about.

Rick Sizemore:  Thank you, Dave. Well, Katrina, I know Betsy wants to talk about your career and where that’s headed, but before she gets into that, speak directly… We have many people listening to this podcast who may have been on the same journey you’re on, still struggling, thinking about their life. Speak directly to them, if you would, tell them what you’ve learned in your journey recovering from substance abuse. And what advice and encouragement you have for them if they’re on the verge of making those steps to recover and then think about a different life through work.

Katrina Davis:  I would tell them that you can do anything, right? That people who suffer from substance use disorder are highly resilient people. And if I can do it, then I know others can. You just got to make sure that you have the right support systems and that you take advantage of all the opportunities that you hear about through networking, and just put forth your best effort because anyone can be a leader. And being able to give back to like-minded people, it’s something that, it speaks for itself.

Betsy Civilette:  What else is next on your professional journey?

Katrina Davis:  Next, I’m working on getting a bachelor’s in the human services field.

Betsy Civilette:  Okay.

Katrina Davis:  So I’m going to try to transfer to VCU after I finish at Reynolds Community College, and just continue working my way up from there.

Rick Sizemore:  Oh, this is so wonderful. Katrina comes to us from the Atlantic Outreach Group where she’s performed a variety of helper roles and is moving down a professional career. Of course, Aline is always part of what’s going on at DARS, we thank you for the work you do with Career Pathways and registered apprenticeships.

Betsy Civilette:  Thank you both for sharing your journeys with us and everyone else.

Katrina Davis:  Thank you for having us.

Aline Jackson-Diggs:  Thank you.

Rick Sizemore:  Hey, this is Rick Sizemore and Betsy Civilette.

Betsy Civilette:  Inviting you to join us for episode 124 of the VR Workforce Studio, as we talk with Mike Eiker.

Rick Sizemore:  Mike is the Operations Manager at C&E Family Farms.

Betsy Civilette:  They run the East Coast’s largest green bean processing facility.

Rick Sizemore:  Talked with Mike about his new ace mechanic, Davion DJ James, who services over 100 pieces of equipment for the operation.

Betsy Civilette:  And hear from DJ and his vocational rehabilitation counselor, Robin Sexauer, about DJ’s vocational training and his path to employment.

Rick Sizemore:  Also, Dr. Victor Gray from the Virginia Manufacturers Association, and Heather Servais from RSA’s National Clearinghouse with all the latest news, resources and tips in VR. That’s episode 124 of the VR Workforce Studio at VRWorkforceStudio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

February marks Job Shadow Month, a time when businesses and organizations from across the nation open their doors to students, offering them a glimpse into various occupations for career exploration. DARS is proud to highlight Backcountry, a leading online specialty retailer for outdoor recreation gear and apparel, as a showcase partner this year. Backcountry exemplifies how companies can enrich their talent pipelines while fostering inclusive work environments.

Bryan Bowen:  Backcountry is really about connecting outdoor enthusiasts with their passion. All of us have our passions outdoors, whether it be hiking, whether it be running, kayaking, skiing, you name it. It’s just a great place to work. Good people, great mission, and a great place to just be a part of. I think the biggest thing for employees is looking for people that are coachable.

The great thing about being here at Backcountry when you’re in the fulfillment center is yeah, you’re not in front of the camera or you’re not in a retail setting where you’re constantly talking with customers. However, you’re in a spot that you can work at your pace, you can go at it and make a difference, and you’re connecting with customers. We look for people that have passion around outdoors, people that have had any type of experience around working in warehouse or retail, because this is a job that we can coach and train people to be very successful in.

But when I had the opportunity to connect with Matt with DARS, just talking to him and seeing his passion in it, it was a no-brainer. And it’s been such a positive impact for our company and our business that I couldn’t imagine not utilizing DARS to help when we need folks. It’s just been a great positive experience all the way around.

Anthony Belcher:  Backcountry is just a great place to work, and I’m thankful for DARS for introducing me to this place and just helping me get ready, taking the time to understand my autism and what all goes in there, but I’m thankful for them for helping me out, for introducing me to this place and helping me just get ready in general.

The majority of it is scanning each product, whether it’s putting it away or sometimes we fill out orders. That’s like we go around, we pick stuff up off the shelf. So, we scan a tote and then we scan each item that’s required for said tote and put it in, send it back on the belt. So, we use a scanner for a lot and when you’re in the mezzanine, either for put away or picking.

Bryan Bowen:  Picking when you have employees like Anthony, such a positive influence on the floor, it just to me brings a smile to the leadership, whether it’s an hourly leader, salary, HR, whatever department Anthony comes in contact with, it’s just positivity. And people, we talk about disabilities, to me, it’s just a positive opportunity. I mean, he’s just been such an integral member of the herd and I couldn’t imagine him not being here.

Rick Sizemore:  Anthony Belcher is referred to as the Wizard of the Warehouse at Backcountry in Christiansburg, Virginia, where Bryan Bowen is the Senior HR business partner.

It is time for our National Clearing House report with the always entertaining and informative Heather Servais. Welcome to the podcast, Heather.

Heather Servais:  Hey, Rick. Great to see you again.

Rick Sizemore:  Yeah, we just had a great story from Anthony Belcher at Backcountry. He talked about his autism, and you have a special report for us.

Heather Servais:  I do. I have a lot of different resources on autism for everybody listening today.

So the first one that I have is resources from the NCRTM on autism, and this is a curated list that has approximately 25 different resources designed to support individuals with autism in achieving competitive integrated employment. And it provides VR professionals with different toolkits and training, and different types of resources to help enhance service delivery. And additionally, for individuals with disabilities and their families, there’s more resources to help navigate employment opportunities. And if you’re a business, there’s some employer focused materials on hiring practice and workplace accommodations, that make it a really valuable resource for a broad range of stakeholders in the VR and business communities.

The second resource I have is the Autism Spectrum Disorders Outreach Guide, that was created by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment, VRTAC-QE. And this outreach guide is geared for vocational rehabilitation counselors and it gives them some strategies and resources to engage and support individuals with autism in achieving employment. And so it brings this real foundational knowledge on neurodiversity and gives some insights on some of the individualized service approaches and really great links to training and tools that can help them in their VR practice.

And as a follow-up to that, there’s an on-demand training by VRTAC-QE called Autism 101. So, this is a great tool for maybe new VR counselors who are new to the field, or to those who maybe don’t have the background in rehabilitation counseling or vocational rehabilitation. And this training provides a foundational understanding of autism, things like its characteristics and how it may present in the workplace. And it also goes over some of the practical strategies for supporting individuals with autism through the employment process, including things like job applications, navigating workplace accommodations, and ongoing support for success in employment.

And then the last resource I have is called Amplify Advocacy: Nick’s Story, and this is by SPAN Parent Advocacy Network. And this is a really short video that features Nick Carpenter, a young adult with autism who shares his own personal journey of self-advocacy in school, work, and social settings. And so this is a great resource for parents, for VR counselors, and individuals with disabilities as it really goes over the power of self-advocacy and mentorship, and support that the support networks provide in achieving success and independence.

Rick Sizemore:  Heather’s Servais directs RSA’s National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials, and joins us each month for the Clearinghouse Report. Links and resources from the NCRTM are included in the show notes at VRWorkforceStudio.com. Thanks, Heather.

Heather Servais:  Absolutely. Thanks for having me, Rick.

Rick Sizemore:  Well, thank you for getting involved in today’s show. If you or someone you know has a disability and wants to get into the workforce, vocational rehabilitation may just be the answer to kickstart your career. Visit us at VRWorkforceStudio.com to find links and resources, as well as our contact information. On behalf of my co-host, Betsy Civilette, I’m Rick Sizemore, inviting you to join us as we podcast “The Sparks that Ignite Vocational Rehabilitation.”

Jake Hart:  The VR Workforce Studio Podcast is owned and operated by Vocational Rehabilitation’s Partners in Podcasting. Audio content for the podcast is provided to VR Partners in Podcasting by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in exchange for promotional considerations.