ACS Receives Partnership of the Year Award From Kentucky Office For the Blind for Disability Hiring Efforts
04 November 2008 - 12:05AM
PR Newswire (US)
LEXINGTON, Ky., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Affiliated
Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) will receive the Partnership of the
Year Award from the Kentucky Office For the Blind (OFB) on
Wednesday. The award recognizes the contributions of individuals or
organizations which have assisted the agency in accomplishing its
mission, which includes finding jobs for the blind and visually
impaired. The awards ceremony will take place Wednesday, November
5, at the Capital Plaza Hotel, 405 Wilkinson Blvd., in Frankfort,
Kentucky. The awards luncheon begins at 11:00 a.m. ACS employees
hired through this partnership will be available for interviews at
the ceremony. "ACS is proud of our efforts to hire people with
disabilities," said Lora Villarreal, executive vice president and
chief people officer for ACS. "We are honored to receive the 2008
Partnership of the Year Award. This award symbolizes our commitment
to giving all people an opportunity, no matter how society chooses
to label them. We look beyond the label and directly at the
individual." Don Taylor, 51 and blind in one eye following a
childhood injury, came to ACS through the Office For the Blind. He
was recently promoted to the concierge department, dealing with the
more complex issues within one of ACS' divisions. Things are going
so well for Don that he encouraged his son to apply at ACS who
recently began working at ACS as well. "ACS has a sincere focus on
utilizing all people," said Don. "ACS is committed to hiring people
with disabilities and that commitment is visible and obvious. And
best of all, there are numerous opportunities for everyone to
advance. This is an amazing place to work." ACS recruiters work
with OFB counselors and consumers to identify their unique work
skills and how their attributes can best be utilized. At ACS, this
included modifying a pre-employment test to identify alternative
technology that makes the testing process more accessible for the
blind and visually impaired. Recruiters provided OFB counselors
with the tools to conduct the testing at their offices. This
ensured that consumers had the accommodations they needed while ACS
gained a larger applicant pool. Earlier this year, ACS received the
Employer of the Year Award from the state of Utah in recognition of
its efforts to hire people with disabilities. More than 160 people
have been hired through this initiative since the program began in
March. ACS has established a network of more than 300 agencies
across the country that support people with disabilities, like the
Office For the Blind, who refer appropriate candidates to ACS for
possible hiring. ACS has a dedicated team of six recruiters helping
more than 28 locations in the U.S. to recruit, hire, and promote
people with disabilities. ACS provides ongoing training to
employees and managers regarding hiring, managing, supporting and
promoting people with disabilities. ACS is one of the largest
private employers in Kentucky, employing more than 4000 people.
About ACS ACS, a global FORTUNE 500 company with approximately
63,000 people supporting client operations reaching more than 100
countries, provides business process outsourcing and information
technology solutions to world- class commercial and government
clients. The company's Class A common stock trades on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol "ACS." Learn more about ACS at
http://www.acs-inc.com/. DATASOURCE: Affiliated Computer Services,
Inc. CONTACT: Chris Gilligan, Corporate Communications Manager of
Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., +1-859-389-2412, Web site:
http://www.acs-inc.com/
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