#NDEAM Spotlight: Meet Ian

Meet Ian! Ian came to MRI’s Supportive Employment Program in 2019 as a referral, where he worked with staff member, Dee McMillen, on finding a job.

Dee started the process by asking Ian lots of questions to help him determine the type of job he would be interested in. From the job search, to interview prep, to the hiring process, Dee was there to support Ian throughout his community employment journey.

Ian was hired in the fall of 2019 to work in the kitchen at St. Mary’s Hospital as part of the utensils group. He was responsible for washing pots and pans and delivering food carts to some of the patients! Two very important tasks of working in a hospital.

Even though Ian is currently laid off due to COVID-19, in his short time at St. Mary’s he has learned a lot and had some great experiences. It meant a lot to Ian when his supervisors appreciated him. He told us about one time when they told him how awesome he was and even gave him some goodies as a thank you.

Ian has also experienced situations of uncertainty while working at St. Mary’s. Sometimes he just wasn’t sure what he should do when his main tasks were finished, so he would take on extra duties like mopping the floors or just simply ask his supervisor what else he could help with. We love Ian’s initiative!