A Step Toward Inclusion: Allegiance Industries Partners with USCA LIFE Program for Full-Time Employment

Allegiance Industries has taken a significant step toward fostering inclusion by partnering with the University of South Carolina Aiken's LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) Program. For the first time, the company has hired three students from the program—Ryan Johnson, Alex Corson, and Chelsea Best—as workers, helping with event setups on campus.

Allegiance Industries, which has provided janitorial, security, and electrical services to industrial complexes and the USCA campus for five years, is fostering an environment for students with intellectual disabilities to learn the art of responsibility and self-independence.

The students normally work part-time while classes are in session with the option of going full-time during breaks.

Jim Kelly, the specialty services director at Allegiance Industries, believes this partnership offers a valuable opportunity for both the company and program students. "85% of the company’s wealth is created by labor. It helps to have a diverse group of employees," Kelly said, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in the workplace.

Dr. Melissa Martin, the program’s director, and Adrienne Patterson, assistant director, expressed their excitement about the collaboration, noting that this partnership marks a momentous occasion as they prepare to graduate their first cohort of students in the Spring of 2025, which includes Johnson, Corson, and Best.

This move comes at a time when people with disabilities continue to face lower employment rates compared to their non-disabled counterparts. According to a Forbes article by Diane Winiarski, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that only 37.1% of individuals with disabilities aged 16-64 were employed in 2023, compared to 75% of those without disabilities. Despite slight increases in employment for both groups, a gap remains.

Kelly aims to challenge this disparity by expanding the number of USCA LIFE program students employed by Allegiance Industries and potentially extending this initiative to other institutions and companies.

For more information, contact USCA Marketing & Communication at news@usca.edu.