Aspiring cook doesn't have to settle

March 19th, Janesville, WI - Mathew met Jose, an Employment Specialist, last year. He told Jose he wanted a job at a call center, but really he was aspiring cook.

Jose asked him why, why a call center job when he wanted to be a cook?

Mathew was afraid to pursue any cooking positions because his osteoarthritis doesn’t allow him to stand up for very long. He needed to sit down every hour for 5-10 minutes to allow his knee to rest up. Because of this, he thought a job at a call center would be perfect because he would be sitting down all day.

With Mathew’s permission, Jose said he would help him find a cooking job that would allow such accommodation.

Jose spoke to the owner and the manager at a local club, and they both said they would be more than willing to accommodate Mathew. So he applied, and got the job.

Mathew says he is very happy with his position! He is having the opportunity to make specials such as soup and prime rib specials, and he is even working on creating a signature sauce for the club!

He is grateful for Jose for helping him build his resume and negotiating accommodations instead of having Mathew settle for a job that he would not fully enjoy. Matthew is doing what he loves because of his enrollment with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and choosing Aptiv as his service provider.

Mathew standing in front of the kitchen of the club he works at.