Willie has been with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) as a Facility Operations Assistant for over two years. It’s a position he loves and describes as his “dream job.” Willie obtained his position with the assistance of Citizens Advocates, Inc., a Supported Employment Program (SEMP) Provider located in Northern New York.  Through Citizen Advocates’ Employment Training Program, Willie was placed in an internship at OPWDD’s Sunmount office. During this internship, a job coach could be onsite and coach and observe him until he was fully trained. Through this experience, OPWDD’s Facility Operations staff could appreciate what an asset Willie would be to their team. Once Willie’s internship ended, he was offered a permanent position. 

Before his experience at Sunmount, Willie had employment experiences at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake in maintenance and directly at Citizens Advocates in both food service and maintenance. Through these placements, Willie realized he enjoyed maintenance work and especially liked working outdoors. He began expressing an interest in working for New York State and OPWDD’s Sunmount Developmental Center in Grounds. Because of his interests and skills, Sunmount seemed to be a perfect fit.

At Sunmount, Willie works under plant maintenance personnel's direction to maintain the grounds' appearance and condition. He sweeps, rakes, shovels, and removes debris like leaves and branches throughout the property. He assists throughout the facility with routine maintenance calls and works independently and as part of a team. As part of his job, Willie operates hand and power equipment.

Willie enjoys his work and gets along with his coworkers. He says he is grateful to work for New York State, where he has health insurance and receives regular salary increases.
 

Willie takes pride in his position at Sunmount and hasn’t missed a single day of work since starting in 2022. Willie loves working outside and loves helping people. When he is not working full-time, you may find him mowing lawns and doing outdoor upkeep for older adults in his community. Those who know Willie describe him as thoughtful, reliable, hard-working, resilient, and friendly. We’re grateful to have him as an employee at OPWDD!