NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — A Tallahassee workforce program that trains individuals with intellectual disabilities is expanding beyond culinary skills to offer training in multiple industries.
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Inclusion Cafe, now rebranded as Heart & Skill Connection, will offer 16-week courses in janitorial work, packaging, painting, laundry, office support, and other fields in addition to its original culinary training program.
“We learned something at Inclusion Cafe. We learned that our training and the people that we train are very powerful and can really help the workforce, so with the name change to Heart and Skill Connections, we think that we can offer different opportunities than just restaurant work,” Founder Bill Schack said.
The program has graduated about 20 people from its culinary program since launching.
He says about six graduates are working, with two working in a restaurant and in retail.
Schack is currently developing a curriculum for the expanded offerings and recruiting community partners to serve as volunteer instructors.
"What we can do in building a workforce is endless. I mean, we just need to teach people a skil,l and then they are the ones who really help expand the workforce, and they're excited," he said.
Applications are now open for the first academy session in March under the new Heart & Skill Connection name.
If the expanded program proves successful, Schack said he plans to add even more industries.
The workforce development program focuses on providing job training opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, helping them develop marketable skills across various sectors.
Applicants can apply on the organization’s website.
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