March 14, 2014
Students from the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center and the NYC Academies recently visited and participated in Job Shadowing Day at the accounting offices of Ernst & Young (EY) in New York City.
John Sasso, Northeast Leader of AccessAbilities, EY’s professional resource network focused on enabling people of all abilities to do their best work, was instrumental in bringing this event to its fruition and including students from HVS.
Twenty-six students from both schools experienced a day in the life of EY by visiting with professionals from EY’s many Volunteer groups, touring departments in areas related to Tax, Advisory, and Assurance, and listening to speakers offer insight into EY’s AccessAbilities and Corporate Responsibility groups. Students attended a series of presentations with employees from different departments who spoke about their role with the organization. Other presentations aimed to teach the students about workplace etiquette and job interviewing skills. Students were included in a roundtable discussion that featured current and former interns of EY who spoke about their experiences.
During the tour, students had the opportunity to participate in a video teleconference with their office in Chicago. “It was so cool,” recalled one of the students.
“It was so nice to visit a company in the real world and see what actually goes on in the business world,” said Joe P., a senior at the Henry Viscardi School.
“Our trip to Ernst & Young was an incredible and memorable experience for our students. It was an honor to participate in such an informative day,” said Nancy Piccola, Business Skills Instructor at the Henry Viscardi School.
“We want to thank the Henry Viscardi School and the students for joining us for the job shadowing event. We hope that the students enjoyed the day and found it informative and helpful,” said John Sasso.
The Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center is a New York State supported 4201 school that offers parents of children with severe physical disabilities and who often require life-sustaining medical treatment throughout the day, a traditional educational setting option that provides rigorous academics and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. Its specialized, accessible educational setting provides a fully-enriched academic program, a variety of therapies, assistive technology and medical supports to students who may otherwise need to receive instruction in their homes or a hospital.
Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability advisor to eight U.S. Presidents and became one of the world’s leading advocates, The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology.