October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. At Beyond Vision, we make the investment in tools so people who are blind or visually impaired can work year-round with no limit to their career opportunities.
One of the greatest hurdles to employment for a person who is blind or visually impaired is access to the right tools. While many employers recognize how qualified a visually impaired candidate may be, they don’t have equipment that allows them to do the job. As a self-funded nonprofit, Beyond Vision is able to invest in tools that give our employees the chance to be their best. This helps us provide the fullest work experience for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Our machine shop is a perfect example. David Ibanez has been working at Beyond Vision since 2013. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from MSOE. He does not feel limited by having Stargardt disease, a form of macular degeneration where central vision loss is a main symptom leading to legal blindness. His daily routines are focused on quality assurance. David handles our receiving inspections and calibrates tools. From our video inspection system to the optical comparator, he has access to equipment that can help him inspect parts and offer the same, if not better, accuracy on quality inspections you would expect from any quality machine shop.
Read the interview with David Ibanez:
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born in Puerto Rico and was raised in Chicago.
Q: What is your educational background?
A: I graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from MSOE in 2009.
Q: What eye condition do you have?
A: I have a condition called Stargardt disease. There are several other people here who have it.
Q: How long have you worked at Beyond Vision?
A: Started here in October of 2013 as a temporary employee. Was hired on full time in March of 2015.
Q: Where did you work before this?
A: I had worked as an IT Developer with company in Denver before moving back to Milwaukee.
Q: What is a regular day at work like for you?
A: I start every day at 6:30am. Usually I will work on receiving inspections for the early deliveries to the Machine Shop to get those cleared for production. Then I switch to doing calibrations on tools to assure accuracy and keep things up to date.
Q: How has working at Beyond Vision impacted your personal life?
A: It has really helped me create some good habits. Helps to have a regular schedule. And I find new ways to improve my own efficiency.
Q: How does your work at Beyond Vision impact your professional life?
A: It’s a job that feels the same as a job at any other company. With good skills it can lead to some career advancement. And I have had the chance to do things outside of what I learned at MSOE.