Work Opportunities Unlimited (WOU)’s mission is to create success in the workplace every day by supporting employment for people with disabilities. With the help of his WOU team, Tyler is thrilled to be one of the first employees of the new Milford, MA location of the popular grocery store chain, Trader Joe’s – a job that fits his needs and makes him eager to go to work!
Tyler has received employment assistance from WOU since 2017, working at places such as a drive-in movie theater and a discount retail store. Duane Hamm, Career Resource Specialist on the Blackstone team, has supported Tyler since August 2023, but he met him at the discount store while supporting another WOU client working at the same location. Duane recalls, “Tyler introduced himself as the head cashier. He actually helped my client a lot, even before I started knowing him.” When Duane began working directly with Tyler, he saw that the bright and extroverted person he met was the real deal. “Tyler is very charming,” he says. “Everyone who meets him likes him.”
When Tyler moved, he began working at a restaurant that was close to his new home, but he wanted more hours. Duane says, “We tried a few other employers and did a few interviews without a lot of success. Then I saw that Trader Joe’s was hiring, since they were opening a brand-new location in Milford.” Duane helped Tyler fill out the online application, and they were blown away by how quickly he was hired. Says Duane, “The day after submitting the application, he had an interview. And then the day after the interview, he had the job!” Duane helped Tyler prepare for his interview, and he was really impressed with Tyler’s performance: “I didn’t even say much, I was just there for moral support. He was in charge and doing everything on his own.” The new store had their staff in place well before opening day, and Tyler was very excited to start. “He was hired at the end of September, so for the entire month and a half that he wasn’t yet working there he would text me every day to thank me,” laughs Duane.
Tyler officially started his role as a crew member once the new store opened in mid-November, working 30 hours per week. Duane explains, “The way Trader Joe’s works, he basically does everything.” Each day Tyler does a variety of tasks, including bagging groceries, retrieving shopping carts, stocking products on the floor, and handing out food and beverage samples at the sample station – his current favorite task. He also helps gather and document items for donation to local charities, and he looks forward to being trained on operating the register.
Duane visits weekly to check in on Tyler; he shares, “Tyler wants me to spend some time with him to watch him work. He’ll say he needs assistance with something, but when I arrive, he won’t even ask for help, he’ll just be talking to me… He doesn’t need a lot of natural support but he likes it. I’ve told him frequently that he knows a lot more than he thinks he knows, and once he does stuff, he realizes he knows it and is a lot more competent than he gives himself credit for.”
The very welcoming environment at Trader Joe’s is exactly what Tyler needs to thrive. Duane says, “Everyone he works with is amazing. Every time I go, I meet someone new, because he loves introducing me to everybody. They’re very accepting there. The managers will give him the praise that he needs. He likes to know that he’s doing a good job, and the more he is told that, the better he gets.” Director Mike Amons says that Tyler is “finding a great deal of success and fulfillment in his new position. Duane has been a great support to Tyler as he’s learning his new role. We’ve worked with Tyler off-and-on since 2017, and we’re so proud of his professional development over the years.” Tyler lives independently, looks forward to each shift at Trader Joe’s, and is enjoying his personal life. Duane is pleased to share, “Everything is going well for Tyler.”
