ACS Receives Partnership of the Year Award From Kentucky Office For the Blind for Disability Hiring Efforts
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.
