#17867
Speaker(s)
- Peter Shikli, CEO, Access2online
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: All Levels
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
Responding to the need for experienced accessibility professionals, a joint venture with a state prison provides the training and the hands-on experience auditing websites.
Abstract
A joint venture between the public and private sectors has produced a new way to hire accessibility professionals.
Access2online teaches website accessibility auditing to inmates at Oregon's state prison for women. This includes the rigorous training that earns them a Trusted Tester certificate from the federal Office of Accessible Systems and Technology. Until their release, they get hands-on experience auditing websites to WCAG and Section 508 as an analyst for the private-sector side of Access2online. When released, they parole into a job teleworking for Access2online still working accessibility, but are also available to be hired away.
In today's tight high-tech labor market, we have another way to hire experienced talent domestically.
Keypoints
- hiring
- analysts
- professional development
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Administrative/Campus Policy, Other, Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access
Speaker Bio(s)
Peter Shikli
A UCLA engineer with an MBA, Peter Shikli has over 30 years in software development, high-tech business formation, and project management. He is a Certified Manufacturing Engineer, a Registered Professional Engineer, accredited college instructor, guest lecturer, a Trusted Tester certified by the federal Office of Accessible Systems & Technology, and has published over 40 articles & books.
Mr. Shikli's experience includes VP of R&D, CIO for an electronic component exchange, various high-tech positions with Garrett Aerospace and Ampex, and Program Manager for SAIC, the world's largest international think tank. Having founded Bizware Online Applications Inc (Access2online's holding corporation), Mr. Shikli chaired various internet consortiums such as the Orange County Chapter of the Southern California ColdFusion Users Group, the Orange County PHP Developers Group, Director of the WebTeam Coalition, and the Internet Consortium of the Orange County Business Council.
Taking a break from his duties as Bizware's CEO, Mr. Shikli is focusing on Access2online, what he considers his legacy project. He has personally trained every inmate working for Access2online and reviews every work product before it reaches our customers.