The National Disability Employment Awareness Month, or NDEAM, Conference’s theme was “Profiting by Investing in Workers with Disabilities.” The conference highlighted disability employment statistics and recognized the local employers of disabled workers.
“NDEAM is important for us here on Guam because it provides an opportunity to highlight the knowledge, skills, abilities and contributions of people with disabilities within the workforce,” said Ben Servino, director for the Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities.
“People with disabilities are an ‘untapped’ human resource within our labor market,” he added.
Servino said the department is focusing on bringing to the forefront opportunities within the federal government, in addition to public laws which would require all government of Guam agencies to employ at least 2 percent of their workforce with individuals with disabilities who are certified by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
During the conference, trophies were also given to Disabilities Employer of the Year and Disabilities Employee of the Year, awarded to the Guam Department of Education and Benavente Middle School special education teacher Chanda Leon Guerrero.
