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Job Success Despite Disabilities


Many people struggle to find work because of their disabilities. For me, I am blind, hearing impaired, on the Autism Spectrum, and epileptic. The following is my story.


I worked for a company called Diamond Kinetics. Diamond Kinetics is an organization that specializes in technology for baseball and softball. I worked at their warehouse located in Penn Hills. Diamond Kinetics was a small group employment opportunity through Progress City. Everyone who worked there was on the Autism Spectrum. If you were looking for small group employment through Progress City, you could have worked as little as one day per week for three hours to start. I worked there every Wednesday afternoon.


I constructed PitchTracker softballs and baseballs, then packaged and shrink wrapped them for shipment. In addition to baseballs and softballs there are swing trackers that track how far the ball is hit and its speed. There are mounts that go on top of the bats and chargers for the swing trackers, which have a couple parts to them. The parts include round discs that are shaped like hockey pucks and O-rings that go with the chargers. These smart balls with their technology are used in major league baseball, as well as college and high school baseball and softball. It is really neat! I enjoyed my job! I worked there from December of 2021 through June of 2022. My staff from Hanlon Therapy and Progress City supported me on the job. My co-workers were all very nice and helpful to me.


Progress City is no longer providing small group employment through the Autism Waiver. I am now looking to seek competitive employment.


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