About us

Our mission is to create an environment that fosters growth, learning, and thriving for individuals with disabilities and the businesses that hire them.

We provide the foundation to highlight individuals’ unique strengths, enabling them to work harmoniously within teams, fostering mutual understanding, and developing the essential job skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce—this is what JOBBS stands for: Joining Opportunities Benefiting Businesses and Students.

Woman accompanying girl with a disability pour coffee at a café, both smiling.

Our story

JOBBS was born out of a desire to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities and those who work alongside them. After more than 30 years of teaching and coordinating job training programs for students with cognitive disabilities, Kathy Klimek, our founder, realized there was more to be done.

Inspired by the meaningful relationships she built with students, business partners, and staff, Kathy saw the need for a place that could help others establish and sustain successful job training programs. In the early hours of one morning, she had an “aha” moment, and JOBBS came to life—focused on creating opportunities that nurture growth, understanding, and success for all.

Our values

Trust

We build lasting relationships through reliability, transparency, and consistently delivering on our promises.

Respect

We foster an inclusive environment where every individual’s voice is valued, and differences are embraced with kindness.

Achievement

We strive for excellence by empowering individuals to reach their full potential and celebrating their successes along the way.

Care

We approach every partnership with empathy and compassion, prioritizing the well-being of our clients and communities.

Portrait of Jobbs's founder, Kathy Klimek.

Our founder

Kathy Klimek, the heart and soul behind JOBBS, has been dedicated to supporting and empowering students with disabilities since 1992. Her experience in both the classroom and job sites has been driven by her core values of trust, respect, achievement, and care.

Kathy’s passion lies in helping individuals reach their full potential, especially those who never thought they could. Her mission is to empower businesses to support individuals with disabilities, helping them thrive in real-world work environments and fostering success in everyone she encounters.

  • "I have been impressed with Kathy's commitment to the student as well as her commitment to the partnership."

    Sharon V. Hawkins
    Senior People Strategy Partner at the University of Notre Dame

  • "Drawing from her vast experience, Kathy has an immediate grasp of the scope of any project, and is quick to identify potential complications so they can be addressed in the planning stage."

    Kathi Troyer
    Retired School Administrator and Intern Instructor for SBCSC

  • "Kathy’s excellent communication skills are an asset to any team. She effectively conveys ideas, actively listens, and collaborates seamlessly with colleagues, students, and community partners."

    Bill Court
    Former Intern Program Coordinator for SBCSC

Let’s create a world that celebrates every strength

Partner with us to nurture potential in individuals and cultivate workplaces where diverse abilities are recognized and valued.