Brenden Hockett really wanted a job that met his needs but wasn’t boring. Brenden was born with Ataxiatelangiectasia and uses a wheelchair. He has several significant physical barriers to employment. Brenden has a great sense of humor and was seeking work that met his needs but also desired something he would really enjoy. Brenden understood that many people in his position often end up with subminimum wage employment or jobs that offer very little fulfillment.
Brenden loves games and sports, and as part of his Customized Employment “Discovery” he began exploring different activities at a local indoor archery range called Wasting Arrows, that his job developer had approached. The business owners loved Brenden as he came in for several weeks to explore the business and see what he could do. After seeing Brenden in action and getting to know him, the business owners reached out to Brenden with a job offer to be a “Range Master.” They were open to Brenden’s need for an accommodated work schedule and use of different tools to get the job done. Brenden uses a handoperated buzzer rather than a whistle to instruct archers with the task of collecting their bows, shooting their arrows, and retrieving their arrows after shooting.
His supervisor reports that Brenden is the best Range Master they have, and his job was guaranteed secure for him to come back to when the pandemic resulted in the temporary closure of the business. Brenden is very satisfied with his work and appreciated the willingness of the business to give him a chance to do work that he loves.
