Work Opportunities Unlimited (WOU) cultivates successful, reciprocal relationships with employers to deliver the most comprehensive, customized career and pre-career coaching opportunities to individuals with barriers to employment. Since December of 2022, WOU has partnered with Sodexo, a global food services and facilities management company headquartered in France. Sodexo has 430,000 employees and serves over 80 million people each day across 45 countries.
Since the beginning of their partnership, WOU has connected with many of Sodexo’s locations and supported 17 WOU clients through the hiring process. The individuals were placed in a variety of positions, including Food Service, Dishwasher, Dining Attendant, Trayline Servers, and Janitors. These placements at Sodexo have empowered these individuals to achieve personal and career goals, positively impacting their lives.
“Working with Sodexo has been great,” says Lauren Watson, a Career Resource Specialist on WOU’s Annapolis, MD Team. She placed a client at Sodexo’s Fort George G Meade location in MD. “Human Resources Manager Kate Frechette has been very responsive and helpful with providing me feedback on how my client has been doing at his job. She was also helpful with the onboarding process and paperwork needed to access the building and provided me with instructions on how to navigate the location. My client’s manager at Sodexo has also been extremely welcoming, transparent, and helpful with my client.”
Career Resource Specialist Ally Craig, on WOU’s Harrisburg, PA Team, supports a client who works as a food service attendant at Penn State Lancaster Medical Center. The client was hired by Tia Carter, Sodexo Human Resources Manager II. Ally states, “My client’s confidence in her capacity to learn the responsibilities of her new role was greatly boosted by Tia. She has thrived as a food service attendant thanks to Tia’s guidance. My work as a Career Resource Specialist is much easier because of Tia’s open-door approach and priority on putting people first. My client and I were made to feel welcome and accommodated by the entire Sodexo team, including Rich B, Dana, and Chef Zach. I would like to express my gratitude to Sodexo for their partnership with Work Opportunities Unlimited and look forward to our continued collaboration.”
“Partnering with WOU has been incredibly beneficial for our organization on several fronts,” states Sherina Barnes, Diversity Coordinator, External Relations for Sodexo. “Firstly, their expertise in working with individuals with disabilities has provided us with valuable insights and strategies to create a more inclusive workplace environment. This partnership has reinforced our understanding of accessibility and enabled us to effectively integrate individuals with disabilities into our workforce. WOU’s commitment to finding employment opportunities for their clients aligns perfectly with our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The partnership has allowed us to tap into a talented pool of individuals whose unique skills and perspectives enrich our team dynamics and contribute to our overall success. Collaborating with WOU has strengthened our community engagement efforts and forged meaningful connections with our local Sodexo sites, demonstrating our commitment to social responsibility. We look forward to continuing this partnership and exploring new opportunities to make a positive impact together.”
Amanda Tosoni, WOU’s Corporate Partnership Coordinator, states, “Partnering with Sodexo on their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has been a rewarding experience. Sodexo’s commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace aligns with WOU’s mission, and together we are promoting a culture of respect and belonging. They set a benchmark for DEI excellence across industries.”
WOU is excited for what’s ahead as they continue working together with Sodexo.
###
With operations throughout the eastern United States, Work Opportunities Unlimited (WOU), a community-based employment service provider, has been helping people with barriers to employment find meaningful jobs since 1982. The company serves thousands of adults and students annually. For more information, please visit www.workopportunities.net.
