The Society of Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD) held their fourth annual Employer Appreciation Awards yesterday.

 

Rayleen Rudnicki, the supervisor and rehabilitation counsellor at SMD, says the organization has the awards as a way to say thanks to the businesses and organizations they work with to help get students of the Thompson Supported Employment Program (TSEP) gain work experience.

 

Businesses who received awards include the Boreal Discovery Centre and the Thompson Canadian Tire.

 

Jo Huddle, the office manager at our local Canadian Tire, says the department store has employed four students since being involved with the program for a year, with one of the students currently working at the store.

 

Huddle also talks about what it’s like to work with SMD and the students from TSEP.

 

"All of the students that we've had over the year have been awesome. They all show up everyday on time. But working with the staff that gets them to us, they've paired them up so well to do the jobs we have for them," Huddle explains.

 

She goes on to say that Canadian Tire looks forward to continue working with SMD to help introduce more TSEP students into the workforce.

 

Another award recipient was Tyler Jennings, who received the Award of Excellence.

 

Rudnicki says Jennings was awarded because he worked hard to find the perfect placement for himself with Thompson Bus Line and Freight.

 

He's been working with the bus company since mid-August, and shares what it's like to work with them.

 

"They've been such a great company to work for. They've been pretty supportive, they teach me everything that I didn't even know like how to turn on the lights on the buses."

 

City Mayor Colleen Smook was also in attendance, and deemed October Disability Employment Awareness Month for Thompson.

 

The full list of award recipients are below:

 

• Canadian Tire
• Tim Horton's
• Boreal Discovery Centre
• Anything Grows
• The Northern Inn and Steakhouse
• Thompson Children's World
• Thompson Bus Line and Freight
• River View Restaurant
• Quality Inn and Suites Thompson
• and Tyler Jennings (Award of Excellence)