Rutgers Job Training Program for Autistic Adults Gets Boost from Local NJ Logistics Company

A year ago, Christopher Manente was excited with the progress of Rutgers’ innovative jobs training program for adults on the autism spectrum. As executive director of the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, he and his colleagues had guided the development of this groundbreaking program from concept through launch and had achieved initial success helping autistic adults thrive through meaningful employment.

The program engaged a very diverse group of adults on the autism spectrum with a wide range of abilities and support needs, providing a structure of ongoing support, training, and placement in on-campus jobs. 

Then the pandemic hit. That shut down the university and its on-campus operations – including the on-campus jobs that had been specifically curated and developed to support the successful transition of the autistic adults into their first jobs in the workforce. 

“With no students on campus there was no need for dining, recreation, other services and amenities. They all closed, and with them, the work-training and experience opportunities for adults with autism,” Dr. Manente recalled. “We had no place for our program participants to go.”

That’s where John Vaccaro and Bettaway stepped in. Bettaway is one of the largest providers of warehousing, distribution, and supply chain services for beverage producers in the Northeast, a family-owned business which John heads today and was founded by his father some 50 years ago.

Read the full article here: