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Virtual Reality becomes Real-Life
Virtual Reality becomes Real-Life.
Finding work is challenging enough today, but layer on a disabling illness like COPD or Muscular Dystrophy and searching for work can be as daunting as dealing with the disease itself.
Virtual Training Systems (VTS) estimates that there are over 40M disabled Americans many of whom are homebound but still willing and able to work. Founded in 2008, VTS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization providing free online job skills training and job placement assistance to disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities and other economically disadvantaged persons. VTS’ goal: To prepare program participants for home-based employment opportunities.
“Work is incredibly meaningful and an important part of our lives. People with disabilities have the desire to work but often don’t know where to turn to get the necessary training or opportunity to become a home-based employee,” says Linda Walsh, founder and CEO of VTS. “We’re filling an unmet need by providing web-based training to people interested in becoming customer service or call center support workers.”
Linda Walsh has nonprofit passion in her blood. She is the daughter of John Walsh, Founder and President of the COPD Foundation, an organization that provides support and information to people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Linda Walsh developed the mission and vision for VTS as an outgrowth of her support for her father’s work as well as his disability. The volunteers for the COPD Information Line (866-316-COPD) are all either patients or caregivers with COPD who work from home because of their illness. VTS provides training so that these volunteers will have the skills needed to staff the Information Line as well as other gainful job opportunities. “People who don’t think they can be productive at all gain the confidence needed through our training and obtain the skills necessary to seek employment,” says Walsh.
The program is self-paced and takes approximately two weeks to complete. Candidates are trained in basic customer service and sales skills necessary for call center and support tasks and are also given a psychological as well as basic knowledge assessment. Thirty-five percent of the participants who qualify complete the program; Walsh notes that in the call center “space” this statistic is significant.
Other nonprofits have engaged VTS training into their teams including: Goodwill Industries, Easter Seals, United Way and other local community groups. Walsh is looking to expand the service offering of VTS to more participants. “We get a lot of folks from the military who move around frequently, therefore they cannot maintain full-time positions. Our training provides them with the necessary skills to be able to pick up work when and where they are able,” says Walsh.
So next time you hear a customer service person on the other end of the phone line and they seem particularly well-trained, you might very well be speaking with a grateful graduate of VTS, from a call center called home.
