Opening doors to professional inclusion for people with disabilities
10 a.m., August 29, at Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel. A unique buzz fills the first floor. About thirty young people with disabilities are waiting for their guide. They will tour the hotel’s back office—the laundry, kitchens, and rooms—to explore the various jobs available. This initiative marks the first Career Expo organized by Ninety-Six Hotel Collection in collaboration with the Global Rainbow Foundation (GRF). The goal: to offer people with disabilities concrete career opportunities in the hospitality industry. By the end of the day, six of them expressed interest in available positions in the four hotels of Ninety-Six Hotel Collection.
Varsha Reesaul, HR Manager at Ninety-Six Hotel Collection, emphasizes the importance of this event for her group. "The purpose of this Career Expo is to include people from diverse backgrounds in our hotels as part of our DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) strategy," she says. In 2023, the group partnered with GRF to assess available positions and identify those best suited for people with disabilities.
This initiative aims to provide people with disabilities with concrete career prospects, not only in hospitality but also in other companies within the Eclosia Group, while promoting greater inclusion in the professional world. "We want to expose participants to opportunities in other sectors, such as the manufacturing industry within the Eclosia Group. It's about raising awareness and showing them the various options available to them," explains Julian Tarbox, Program manager employability at GRF.
Participants were indeed connected with Panagora, Maurilait, and Avipro. This connection was facilitated by a job analysis conducted by GRF to identify roles that best match the participants' abilities and aspirations. For Varsha Reesaul and Julian Tarbox, this Career Expo marks progress toward enhanced inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. "We are delighted to see the Eclosia Group and Ninety-Six Hotel Collection developing opportunities for people with disabilities. Dynamic inclusion projects are emerging across the group," says Julian Tarbox.
The Global Rainbow Foundation not only provides technical training for people with disabilities but also works to change mindsets. According to Julian Tarbox, "People with disabilities often lack exposure, suffer from parental overprotection, and miss out on adequate formal education. There is enormous untapped potential that can be unlocked with the right mindset." GRF strives to bridge these gaps through tailored training programs and by working directly with companies to ensure successful and sustainable inclusion.