September 9, 2008 - Nigel Howard: Deaf Awareness Week

With Deaf Awareness Week on the horizon, Nigel Howard is on a mission to improve job prospects for deaf people around the world.

Howard was born deaf. He is invited to speak to businesses and organizations about a broad range of topics, including the unique skills deaf people can offer in the workplace, the community and society at large.

"Some employers are still resistant to hiring deaf people. But many deaf people have their master's degrees and are more skilled than other people," says Howard.

Howard lived in Japan for more than a year. During that time, he was invited to talk to companies about hiring deaf candidates. One employer was particularly resistant, he recalls. However, Howard managed to convince them to hire a few deaf people. "They were blown away. They couldn't believe the skills the deaf people had," he says.

"Deaf people can have higher productivity, so it pays off for employers to hire an interpreter," says Howard.

Employment is still a persistent issue in Canada as well. According to a survey conducted by the Canadian Association of the Deaf in 1998, 41.9 percent of deaf Canadians are underemployed and 37.5 percent are unemployed, leaving just 20.6 percent fully employed.

Howard teaches Sign Language Interpretation (INTR), along with classes on personal and professional development, wellness and community in the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies at Douglas College.

"I am the only deaf instructor nationally who teaches courses about topics other than interpretation, sign language and Deaf culture," says Howard.

While students are required to only use American Sign Language (ASL) in INTR classes, Howard lectures with an interpreter in his other courses.

"There's a pretty progressive attitude at Douglas College," he says.

INTR coordinator Cheryl Palmer credits Howard with being an important connection to the Deaf community locally and abroad. He is dedicated to helping build Deaf communities in developing countries, bettering professional interpreter skills such as medical interpreting and enhance Deaf people's sense of identity.

"Nigel has a wealth of experience through his education, his experience as a deaf interpreter and his travel around the world. Having seen him at work in the classroom and giving seminars at various conferences, I can tell you he relishes the opportunity to share his knowledge with interpreters and the Deaf community and is very good at what he does," says Palmer.

Deaf Awareness Week is September 21-27. For more information, please visit www.cad.ca.