Tommy is meticulous when it comes to quality control. The 33-year-old is autistic and has been working at Atelier Jem packaging facility since 2021. “The longest job that I’ve had is here at Jem, and I didn’t start with this position. I worked my way up,” he says. Now in the role of assistant shipper, Ettinger was previously employed elsewhere as a video game tester and screen printer, and he says his current workplace sees his strengths. “They don’t thrust you into something that might be intimidating. They check up and make sure that you’re able to coexist as a unit or as an individual,” Ettinger says. Atelier Jem has been an adapted workplace for almost 50 years, and executive director Maia Cooper says every one of her colleagues has something unique to contribute. “It’s really important for us to focus on abilities as opposed to disabilities. And though somebody who may be seen as having autism may be stigmatized or looked down upon in society and in the world around us, when they walk through the door here, the first thing we do is get to know them so we can understand what they are particularly good at,” Cooper says. Cooper adds that there should be more adapted workplaces. “We are investing in a society where now all of us, all of our employees, regardless of what they present with, are earning, paying taxes, taking their hard-earned money and spending it on things that feed the economy and stimulate the economy and everybody feels better about themselves,” she says. Ettinger says he feels like a valued member of the team. “You want to be able to have that freedom to feel like your voice is heard. That’s the most important thing about an adapted workplace.” The colleagues agree that their work environment has been good for everyone. "It makes me emotional…it’s such a gift,” Cooper says. “Definitely gave me a new layer of confidence,” he adds.
