Building Confidence Through Career Skills Training

On Monday, January 12, three clients graduated from Unified Work Academy’s Career Skills 1 Course after successfully completing eight sessions of virtual training. As the second Merrick cohort to complete the course, the graduates beamed with pride as they received their certificates and were met with enthusiastic applause from peers and family members who joined the ceremony via Zoom. 

Career Skills 1 is the first of two courses offered by Unified Work Academy, a program of MDI. The course focuses on teaching core life skills that support improved job performance, engagement, and satisfaction, including teamwork, time management, interpersonal skills, and more. 

The first Merrick cohort to complete Career Skills 1 graduated in June 2025, with one participant continuing on to Career Skills 2. Two clients from Cohort 2 also plan to continue their education by enrolling in the Career Skills 2 course. Merrick Group Facilitator Sandy Olson continues to recruit additional clients, having seen firsthand the benefits of the program as participants gain confidence in themselves. 

When asked to reflect on her experience, Sammie, a graduate of cohort 2, shared, “I learned that I am capable of working in the community. I have noticed that I have self-confidence, and I like setting goals that help me stay on task.”   

As a disability services provider, we continually seek new opportunities that empower our clients to achieve their goals and pursue their dreams. For many clients, like Sammie, the dream is to work in the community. By continuing to offer tools such as these Career Skills courses, we hope to help clients take meaningful steps closer to reaching their goals.