Laura

My journey began when I connected with MassAbility. With their support, I was able to explore new career opportunities, including software development. Once I identified this as my goal, MassAbility helped me to identify the training and equipment I needed to succeed.

I enrolled in the Programmer Certificate Program at Springfield Technical Community College, where I built a strong foundation in programming and was introduced to several coding languages. I also learned how to advocate for myself to ensure I had the accommodations necessary to thrive. I’m proud to say I graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

Support

I enrolled in the Social Security’s Ticket to Work program and received support from the following organizations:

  • MassHire covered the cost of attending a career fair where I was able to interview with Oracle, Harvard and UMass Chan Medical School. This experience gave me practice talking about my skills and knowledge. The MassHire job specialist regularly sent me job opportunities and connected me with corporate partners.
  • UCP of Western Mass helped me get equipment to be able to complete training remotely.
  • Work Without Limits provided benefits counseling on transitioning back to work and out of the Trial Work Period. This was invaluable as I had not navigated this before or kept track of income and changes in my Substantial Gainful Activity status.

Challenges

  • My disability impacts my ability to focus and manage my time.
  • I struggled with confidence as I had not worked full time in a long while. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to handle the work. I chose not to apply to job opportunities because I didn’t think I was qualified.
  • The tech industry had started doing mass layoffs. AI was being integrated more with the software development process, which limited the number of companies hiring junior engineers.

HIRED!

I got resourceful, educated myself, and identified specialized training that could make myself more marketable. I found a low-cost tech bootcamp called CodeOp where I gained confidence working alongside other career changers. Then I discovered Ada Developers Academy, a tech bootcamp that offers 6-months of remote technical training and a paid internship as a software engineer. I had to relocate to Seattle for 5 months where I was placed in Amazon's Software Engineer Apprenticeship program!

 

 
 
 
Laura

Laura's Advice

For persons with disabilities:

  • "Take advantage of every resource, service and program that will give you the skills to thrive in a work setting."
  • "Find people who will cheer for you and help you manage disability symptoms."
  • "Be proactive and educate yourself on programs that interest you."

For employers:

  • "Disabilities vary widely—there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Be flexible with accommodations and trust that the work will be completed."
  • "People who acquire disabilities later in life want to remain productive. Everyone’s needs are different, but creative problem-solving can make a big difference."