When Laura had to resign from a job of nearly 25 years due to increasing challenges with epilepsy, she didn’t know what to do. Not only had the job been a significant part of her life, but it was also her primary source of income.

“I still needed to pay my bills, so I talked to my bishop,” Laura recalls. “He recommended Deseret Industries for a temporary job until I can develop a resume.”

Although being able to meet her financial needs has been a significant relief, working at DI has been far more than just a paycheck for Laura. She has also received assistance with career exploration, resume creation, and skills development to help as she navigates life with epilepsy.

“My job coach has done an amazing job,” Laura says. “He has started me on classes to prepare for future jobs, and I have learned different ways to develop my skills from experiences that I’ve done in the past.”

Laura hopes to take the knowledge she is learning and work as a bank teller one day. In the meantime, she is taking advantage of the opportunity to build relationships with her job coach and fellow associates.

“My favorite part [about working at DI] is that everybody gets along,” Laura says. “I am not judged, and everybody accepts each other for who they are. It's really easy to work with people here, and the relationships grow and grow as friends instead of co-workers.”