Hannah Saltzman had always dreamed of becoming an administrative assistant. Despite her interest, landing her job with the Space Systems Engineering Group at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) wasn’t easy.
Like other APL job applicants, she interviewed with three people. Each interview was about 25 minutes long and included in-depth questioning and skills assessment.
She got through the process with flying colors, but to people who know her that came as no surprise, as Saltzman had won The Arc of Howard County’s Self Advocate of the year award in 2016. In describing her for the award nomination, Project SEARCH Manager Barbara Moyer said she’s “upbeat, positive and full of energy. She seems to relish new tasks and opportunities that come her way.”
Among the new tasks was a presentation at The Arc’s of Howard County legislative breakfast, where Saltzman discussed her job at APL, as well as the hard work it took to get there. She’s also a leader in the pre-employment room, helping newcomers feel included and assisting people who don’t understand their assignments.
Saltzman prepared for her job at APL by volunteering at The Arc’s front desk and helping collate papers and put together binders. At the same time, she was working as a front-end courtesy clerk at the Clarksville Giant.
At APL, she does data input and is a supply room manager.
“I really enjoy working with Hannah,” said her mentor, Patty Higgs. “She’s eager to learn and likes to stay busy. It’s been incredible to watch how far she’s come from when she started working at APL.”
To learn more about The Arc of Howard County’s Employment Services, contact Tami Shaw at 410-730-0638.