How one Alabama-based organization is empowering students with disabilities

Mock Interview Day is a big day for Equip, an Alabama-based organization that provides vocational, social and life skills training for individuals living with disabilities. This event provides hundreds of students from both Jefferson and Shelby counties the opportunity to practice for an important step in their journey toward job readiness.

“So much of it has to do with building confidence,” said Blake Huynh, executive director of Equip. “Many of the students we work with are very shy, and I think the new generation is used to talking through technology, so an interview and having that face-to-face conversation, practicing eye contact, all of that is semi-foreign to them, so it’s great for them to get in there and to practice.”

Alabama Power has been a proud supporter of Equip for years with its employees helping conduct the mock interviews. They’ve also participated in Equip’s annual career expo, which is designed to expose students to various job opportunities and career fields.

Additionally, the Alabama Power Foundation awarded a grant to Equip in support of this year’s Mock Interview Day. Funding from the foundation helped cover staffing, provide transportation for students and secure the event’s keynote speaker – Chris Biggins, one of the top adaptive golfers in the nation.

“Equip shows how powerful it is when people are given the confidence, tools and support they need to thrive in the workforce,” said Maggie Beans, a customer experience analyst with Alabama Power who serves on the board for Equip. “As a board member, I have seen firsthand how transformative this work is, not just for individuals with disabilities, but for entire communities and industries. I’m proud to work for a company that truly values the communities it serves and encourages its employees to get involved with causes about which they are passionate.”

The Sixth Annual Mock Interview Day, which was held in March at Valleydale Church, welcomed nearly 400 students and just over 100 volunteers. Students went through up to five rounds of interviews, and volunteers offered feedback to Equip, the students and their teachers on a variety of aspects.

“Were they wearing the right clothing? Did they say the right things? Did they talk about something that might be off-putting to somebody?” Huynh said, providing examples of the types of questions his team wants volunteer interviewers to consider about the students. “We want to correct that, so we have better opportunities at getting jobs when they graduate high school, or even while they’re in high school.”

While Mock Interview Day is Equip’s flagship event, it only scratches the surface of all that the organization does year-round to empower students and adults with disabilities.

Equip’s specialized curriculum, which focuses on skills needed for successful employment, is implemented in 35 high schools across the state of Alabama. Equip also provides assistance with securing and maintaining employment, on-site job skill support and advocacy in the workplace. Additionally, Equip hosts a community-centered day program for adults living with disabilities called Thrive, which offers educational and recreational opportunities that promote job readiness, social skills and independent living.

“Anything we can do to get them closer to closing the deal on employment, or even if it’s moving from one job to another, we are there to help out with whatever need they might have,” Huynh said. “Anything from buying clothing or uniforms to helping coach them on specific areas that they might struggle with, going over conflict resolution or how to handle the technology in the workplace.”

Huynh, who’s been executive director of Equip since 2018, has worked with individuals with disabilities for over 20 years. He said these decades have taught him there’s no need to use “kid gloves” when working with this population.

“Don’t be afraid to have conversations just like you would with any other person,” he said. “If we are honest, and we just state expectations, more often than not, the people I work with meet those expectations, if not exceed them.”

Learn more about Equip at equipservices.org.