A participant in DDI's Supported Employment Program, Josh works part-time at Home Depot as a cashier and absolutely loves his role there! Have just one conversation with Josh, and you will see what a dedicated employee he is. Staff and customers alike say that he is a bright light at the front end of the store.
He is known for being a hard worker with a great personality! His supervisors are pleased with his work and feel that his dynamic personality contributes greatly to Home Depot, making him a star staff member.
Since beginning his career at Home Depot in March of 2022, he has been recognized with multiple “Homer” badges for different accomplishments, including excellent customer ratings. Most recently, Josh received the Silver Homer Badge for Cashier of the Month!
Josh has learned valuable skills from his time as a cashier and shared, “An important skill I learned is patience. I like to kill ‘em with kindness!” He has also learned how to support customers in the self-checkout lanes and has gained a lot of knowledge about horticulture while working in the Garden Department.
Josh is a passionate advocate and aspiring entrepreneur as well. In his spare time, Josh runs an advocacy group called Ability 4 Us. He just recently made a trip to Albany for the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State’s (SANYS) annual statewide conference to be a voice for people with disabilities.
He is also a part-time businessman, selling homemade fragrances, with the addition of soaps in the works. If that was not enough, he also runs four online radio stations, each offering listeners a variety of music genres to choose from.
When asked about his future goals, Josh said, “I want to become a successful business owner and would love to become a full-time advocate.” All this, and he still wants to retire with Home Depot!
Josh’s dedication and persistence make him a positive role model for anyone out there looking for a job. His success is a clear example of how companies that embrace diversity are benefiting from an inclusive workforce.