Category Archives: Community

Congrats AIP Class of 2022

Ten students smile while holding their certificates. A banner above them reads "Congratulations Graduates".

Please join us in congratulating the Skills Inc. Aerospace Internship Class of 2022!

This year, fourteen high school students from six school districts graduated from the AIP with valuable work-readiness skills and hands-on experience working in the aerospace industry. Five members of the graduating class also earned the ACT National Career Readiness Certification.

Skills would like to express our gratitude to the interns for their hard work and dedication to the program. We would also like to thank everyone that had a hand in their success including family and friends, instructors, supervisors, mentors, school administrators, community partners and donors.

30th Anniversary of the ADA

30 Years of Progress: Access, Opportunity & Inclusion

collage celebrating 30 years of ADASkills Inc. is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 30th Anniversary. Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26th, 1990, this important civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

We hope you will join us in celebrating this milestone, as well as continue to advocate and work toward workforce inclusion for people with disabilities.

Visit the DOJ’s ADA Anniversary webpage to learn more about the ADA’s history and impact. You can also access free information and trainings on the Americans with Disabilities Act on the ADA National Network’s website.

Congrats AIP Class of 2020!

Group photos of students w/Congratulations AIP Class of 2020

Please join us in congratulating the Aerospace Internship Class of 2020!

This year, 42 high school students graduated from the AIP with valuable work-readiness skills and hands-on experience working in the aerospace industry. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 school closures, their time was cut short in March, but interns were able to continue working towards their National Career Readiness Certificate from home.

Skills would like to express our gratitude to the interns for their hard work and dedication to the program. We would also like to thank everyone that had a hand in their success including family and friends, instructors, supervisors, mentors, school administrators, community partners and donors.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

2019 NDEAM poster: The Right Talent, Right NowSkills Inc. is proud to support National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Held each October since 1945, NDEAM aims to educate employers about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of American workers with disabilities. This year’s theme is “The Right Talent, Right Now.”

For over 50 years, Skills Inc. has been a leader in inclusion and disability employment by focusing on the strengths and abilities of our workforce. We take great pride in serving our community while supplying quality goods and services to the aerospace and technology sectors.

Skills Inc. encourages all employers to embrace diversity while promoting a culture of inclusion so that everyone can thrive. Take part in NDEAM by participating in one or more of the below events. The Office of Disability Employment Policy, (ODEP) website also provides various ways to celebrate the month, including “31 Days of NDEAM – What you CAN do!”.

PARTICIPATE. EDUCATE. CELEBRATE. SHARE. #NDEAM

Dates to Note:

Every Tue., 11am-12pm PDT
Disability Matters with Joyce Bender radio show on VoiceAmerica

Oct. 2nd, 10am-10:30am PDT
Do You Want a Job or a Career? Reflections on National Disability Employment Awareness Month radio show hosted by ADA Live!

Oct. 6th, 2pm-5pm PDT in Bellevue, WA
Eat, Drink, Shuffle!” fundraiser by AtWork

Oct. 6th-12th
Mental Illness Awareness Week

Oct. 8th, 11am-1pm PDT in Seattle, WA
Golden Hearts Luncheon to benefit Northwest Center, featured speaker is Seahawks Linebacker Shaquem Griffin

Oct. 11th, 9am-4:00pm PDT in Seattle
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills hosted by Veterans Training Support Center

Oct. 12th, 11am-1pm PDT in Seattle, WA
Thriving Families: The Intersections of Race & Disability by Amara, Families of Color Seattle, and PEPS

Oct. 15th, 9am-4pm PDT in Redmond, WA
Disability Employment Symposium hosted by Microsoft and Disability:IN Washington

Oct. 15th
White Cane Awareness Day

Oct. 16th
National Disability Mentoring Day. Seattle area employers interested in participating, see UW Do-It Program.

Oct. 23rd, 8:30am-5pm PDT in Seattle, WA
Mental Health First Aid (Adult) training by USA Mental Health First Aid and Crisis Connections

Oct. 25th-27th in San Mateo, CA
Abilities Expo hosted by Abilities.com

Oct. 28th-30th in New Orleans, LA or attend virtually
Inclusion 2019 Conference & Exposition hosted by SHRM

Nov. 5th-7th in Bellingham, WA
CEA Fall Conference and Annual Meeting hosted by Community Employment Alliance

Save the Dates:
January 6th – March 6th, 2020
12 Week Online edX Course: Introduction to Inclusive Talent Acquisition for hiring managers and recruiters. Self-paced course by Perkins School for the Blind and Harvard Extension School.

May 8th, 2020 in Auburn, WA
3rd Annual 5K for Abilities hosted by Skills Inc. & the City of Auburn

July 13th – July 16th, 2020 in Orlando, FL
Annual Disability:IN Conference hosted by Disability:IN