Boone Center, Inc. (BCI) is pleased to announce the expansion of our competitive employment programs into the state of Illinois, focusing on Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe Counties. The expansion was approved on January 24, 2024, by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services. The expansion into Illinois emphasizes our commitment to bridging the gap between employers and job seekers while fostering inclusivity and independence across the region.
“BCI is committed to leading the greater St. Louis region’s workforce development efforts by facilitating the training and inclusive hiring of adults with disabilities,” said BCI CEO Troy Compardo. “We couldn’t embark on this journey without the commitment of communities and employers, and we’re excited to bring our programming to the Metro East with an anchor partner in World Wide Technology’s logistics team in Edwardsville.”
BCI offers tailored employment solutions, recognizing the uniqueness of each individual and matching their skills and abilities with suitable jobs. The programs involve collaboration with local businesses to offer a wide range of employment opportunities across various industries. BCI’s services also include ongoing support to ensure sustained success for individuals in the workforce, including navigating Social Security benefits.
“We are excited for this opportunity to provide more service options for the Metro East to meet the community’s demand,” said BCI Chief Program Officer of Competitive Employment Matt Jannings. “These services are dependent upon cultivating strong partnerships with industry to find quality matches for those we serve. Employers who are looking for employee recruitment and retention models should pay close attention, as this can be the start to a positive cultural overhaul.”
BCI has achieved significant outcomes in helping adults with disabilities gain competitive integrated employment throughout the greater St. Louis region. In 2023 alone, BCI facilitated the employment of over 100 individuals through traditional employment services and direct placement. Furthermore, since launching the BCI Skills Center in 2019, 88 individuals have graduated from these customized vocational training programs and moved directly into the competitive work market.
“BCI’s commitment to serve the Metro East is rooted in our organization’s vision to eliminate barriers to meaningful employment for adults with disabilities,” added Compardo. “Our expansion into Illinois will offer those communities unique programming to unlock the potential of one the area’s largest populations who are unemployed or under-employed.”
For more information about BCI’s employment programs in Missouri and Illinois, visit https://boonecenter.com/ or call 636-875-5264.