Projects With Industry: An Employment Partnership
Projects With Industry (PWI) was created in 1968 as part of the Rehabilitation Act. Its purpose is to develop cooperative arrangements between rehabilitation organi-zations and private employers in building competitive employment placement programs for persons with disabilities.
Currently there are about 75 Projects With Industry funded by the federal government. These projects vary in focus. Some are national; others local or regional. Some serve certain categories of people such as youth or the elderly or persons with a specific disability. In all projects emphasis is placed on serving individuals with severe disabilities. Projects are run by a wide variety of organizations including major corporations, unions, rehabilitation facilities, small businesses, advocacy organizations, national trade associations, and organizations created for the purpose of providing PWI services.
In promoting opportunities for competitive employment of persons with disabilities private industry is an essential partner in the PWI model. Private industry, its talent and leadership, participate in identifying and providing job opportunities, skills, training and settings to qualify persons with disabilities for competitive jobs.
PWI differs from other placement programs in several respects. First and foremost business is recognized as a full partner in the process. Each project has a Business Advisory Council (BAC). This Business Advisory Council is key to ev-ery aspect of the program from determining labor market needs to designing training that will meet employer needs. For example, some council members have arranged for PWI clients to participate in the training some businesses provide for their own employees. Besides providing information about job opportunities and trends, others have provided PWI with such resources as trainers, curriculum, materials, computers and office/classroom space.
PWIs have also adopted a marketing approach to placements. Great care is taken to ensure that the needs of the employer are being met. Employers are the customer, or consumer, and placements will not occur if their needs are not being met. There is also more accountability. PWI is one of the few government programs where individual projects must meet standards and indicators of success in order to be funded or to receive continued funding.
The financial bottom line is the measure of success in business. PWIs' cost effective placement services gain respect from PWI business partners. These are real savings based on FICA and income taxes and savings from people not having to rely on welfare programs. Most of the persons placed will be starting on many years of work, and the savings can be multiplied many times over.