Richard grew up dreaming of becoming a social worker and following in his mother’s footsteps. He saw firsthand how inspiring the work was and earned a Bachelor of Science in social work from Westfield State University. However, after his first internship, he realized the field might not be the right fit for him. Unsure of what was next, he contacted the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) to help him with his job journey. MRC, an RSA grantee, helped Richard to achieve competitive integrated employment.
Richard first became acquainted with MRC as a college undergraduate. "The agency really helped me understand the ins and outs of what a career could look like,” said Richard. Recognizing that Richard wanted to finish his degree and pursue full-time employment, MRC provided financial support to help him accomplish his goal. Upon graduation, Richard connected with his vocational and career counselor and his career and business relations specialist to discuss potential next steps. With the help of MRC, Richard found an interest in the agency’s Technology Academy Program, a job-driven training program created in partnership with CISCO, Holyoke and Roxbury Community College. The program, which is the first of its kind in the state, provides individuals eligible to receive services through MRC with the opportunity to train in cybersecurity and earn a certificate from CISCO. Richard’s Career and Business Relations specialist, Tara Raymond, knew he would be the perfect fit for the program. “The first thing that stuck out about Richard was his good nature,” Raymond said. “He understood to reach his goals; he was the captain of his ship. Richard gave 110% to be sure he was accepted into this program.”
Just as Richard and his classmates began the coursework, the pandemic forced the program and its participants to pivot. “I had never taken part in a virtual classroom like this before,” Richard said. Richard admitted he found a new subject matter and a new way of learning daunting at first. “The program gave me the base understanding of the day-to-day focus on data privacy and auditing. I gained a foundation of learning in the technology used to protect data that prepared me for a career in the IT world,” Richard said. Not even a pandemic stopped a determined Richard as he persevered to graduate from the program with a CISCO cybersecurity certificate. Following the program, he reconnected with MRC to explore what could be possible for his career. “MRC provided me the tools to gain full-time employment, develop my professional skills, resume, cover letter, and portfolio,” Richard said.
Raymond recommended that Richard apply to the Neurodiversity in the Workplace program, which specializes in helping neurodiverse individuals prepare themselves for the job interview process. Raymond shared, “I knew if Richard was provided the environment to shine, he would excel, and that is exactly what he did.” After completing the program, Richard received an internship offer from Dell Technologies — the first step of his career journey. He began the internship in 2020, and his manager asked him to join the team full time a year later. “I was full of so much joy when she asked me to join the team,” Richard said. “It made me feel like all the work I had put in meant something. I had accomplished this goal!” Over the course of four years, Richard was promoted from an intern to a senior audit analyst. He now serves as an internal audit advisor at Dell Technologies. In his current role, he focuses on regulatory compliance, data protection and privacy. “My role and career are fulfilling because it’s interesting and complex work,” Richard said. “I love learning different functions at Dell and working with the vendors and partners we have. My job is dynamic and there is always something new happening and always something to learn.”
Senior Advisor of Diversity Talent Acquisition at Dell Technologies Danielle Biddick said, “the Neurodiversity@DellTechnologies program has greatly benefited from its partnership with MRC and the National Employment Team (NET). Through our collaboration, we’ve leveraged incredible talent by focusing on hiring for key skills and strengths while providing tailored support resources to enable success.”