Transylvania vocational services - T-V-S Overcoming Challenges

New, Temporary Community Inclusion Services in Response to COVID-19

Aug 4, 2020 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (NCDVR) to offer a new service called Community Inclusion. This service was created by the NCDVR in May as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the Community Inclusion Service is to provide current individuals whom are supported by Vocational Rehabilitation with a way to navigate new challenges within the community and local employment industry. Recipients are supported by a TVS Employment Specialist through individualized education that is customized to the needs of each individual.

“The biggest benefit of these services is that individuals are able to see how all aspects of life can and do affect employment,” said TVS Employment Specialist Megan Pilley.

The Community Inclusion Service focuses on four main categories, all designed to help an individual adapt to changes in their community or job. These categories include: 1) Job Preparation, 2) Disability Awareness, 3) Health, Safety and Wellness, and 4) Independent Living.

Individuals are able to choose from a wide variety of topics within each category, based on what is most useful to their personal lives. These subcategories cover topics highly relevant to issues surfaced by COVID-19 such as how to conduct a virtual or phone interview and how to access additional resources through telehealth services.

“By awareness being brought to these areas, we expect to see individuals becoming more involved in the community and have confidence regardless of the current lifestyle changes,” Pilley said.

To qualify for the service an individual must have an active case with NCDVR. A NCDVR counselor determines eligibility after a person applies for the service and approved individuals can receive up to 50 hours of inclusion service trainings.

This service is being offered for a limited time and is only expected to remain in effect until the end of the year.

For more information please call your local Vocational Rehabilitation office, Brevard: 828-883-2190 or Hendersonville 828-692-9184.

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA

Jul 31, 2020 | News

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrated its 30th anniversary on Sunday, July 26 and TVS dedicated this past week to celebrating the law by sharing information through a social campaign on our Facebook page.

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. It was signed into law by George H.W. Bush in 1990.

This law has paved the path for individuals with disabilities in our workforce.

The week-long social media campaign on Facebook offered key facts about the ADA, quotes from TVS employees reflecting on ‘what the ADA means to them,’ and external links to learn more information.

TVS also had their two social media quotes shared on the SourceAmerica website as part of a collaborative article where multiple NPAs reflected on memories and the importance of ADA over the past 30 years.

We invite you to also read more stories celebrating the ADA at the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities website.

View the full collection of Facebook posts from July 27 – July 31 below!

Brian Wilson — Special Projects & Finishing Manager

Jul 28, 2020 | Employee Profiles

“This job not only has a local impact, but also a global impact with the products we make and the people we serve.”

Brevard High graduate
Attended East Tennessee State University with a major in Engineering and a minor in Music before joining the U.S. Army
Former U.S. Army, Helicopter pilot as well as a commercial pilot
Graduated from Greenville Tech with a degree in Aviation Mechanics
Special Projects & Finishing Production Manager, in a nutshell: developing programs and processes to employ adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
Previous Work Experience: most recently; UPM Raflatac and as the Assistant Band Teacher at Brevard High School.
What brought you to TVS? “I was looking to leave the corporate world and to be closer to home.”
Career Goals? “To advance in management and learn more operations in the facility.”
Favorite part about working at TVS? “The interactions with INTERACT participants. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you are having, they bring an energy here and will put a smile on your face.”

USDA Food Aid Contract Creates More Jobs at TVS

Jul 27, 2020 | News

Brevard, NC (July 27,2020) — Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) has been awarded another contract from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for packaging instant non-fat dry milk. This will more than double the packaged milk output from the facility.

The USDA is purchasing the dry milk to provide food aid to an expanded list of food banks across the country as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and its impact on the United States and its territories, Guam and Puerto Rico.

“The USDA is working hard to carry out their mission of assisting American farmers and citizens in need. The rise in unemployment due to the pandemic has resulted in an increase of food insecure families and caused a major surge in domestic food aid programs,” said TVS COO, Becky Alderman.

To accommodate this production surge and meet the demand, TVS is hiring more employees on three shifts and increasing the number and speed capabilities of machines packaging the milk. The company is actively recruiting for an estimated 25 job openings, within nine different job categories, including production workers, inventory assistants, sanitation workers, production supervisors, and material handlers.

Click here to read the full PDF or to view the Transylvania Times article.

TVS receives letter of gratitude from U.S. Department of Defense

Jul 24, 2020 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) received a letter from the U.S. Department of Defense on July 17, expressing gratitude to TVS’ essential workers during the current national emergency.

Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), TVS has remained committed to the production of the more than 20 items in the Mountain Maid product line which are used by chefs in military kitchens worldwide to prepare meals for our troops. TVS takes pride in producing 100% of the annual requirement for pancake mix, from which more than 4 million pancakes are made in one year.

TVS is proud to be feeding our troops, at home or abroad, and is thankful for the hard-working employees who are more than deserving of this acknowledgement as essential workers during these uncertain times.

Please read the official statement of gratitude from the Department of Defense by clicking here.