Alternative Employment Source

As the bus pulls up at 6:00 a.m., Tyrine gets in for his 20 minute journey. He is not going to school though. He is going to work. Thanks to a program offered by Chesterfield County, Tyrine has been given the opportunity to work within the county despite his developmental disability.

For over 25 years Chesterfield Employment Services (CES) has been assisting workers with developmental disabilities find jobs throughout Central Virginia. Fiorucci Foods is an excellent example of the quality partnerships CES has gained with area industry and business. CES has approximately 150 participants with good jobs in factories doing production work, housekeeping in motels, working in laundries, grocery stores, pet stores, food service, stocking shelves, and more. Chesterfield Employment Services has a large, highly motivated pool of people with a variety of skills whose mission is bridging business needs with employment solutions.

Fiorucci Foods Inc., an Italian meat manufacturer located in the Walthall area of Chesterfield County, has successfully hired 3 CES workers in the past 4 years. Fiorucci has found these workers to be dependable and hard working. Finding dependable employees is always a challenge. When Chesterfield County presented this opportunity to the company four years ago, they were eager to try the program. Within days, they knew they had made the right decision.

Not only does the CES job coach assist in training the employees on the job, but they also regularly check on the employee’s progress to ensure that the employee is also benefiting from the job. Their developmental disabilities have not been an obstacle in getting the job accomplished. The CES employees occupy standard positions and produce quality work. Fiorucci encourages other businesses in the county to take advantage of this opportunity.

If you would like to speak to Fiorucci about their experience with the program, please contact Carey Tillett, Human Resource Manager – Fiorucci Foods, (804) 524-3461.