College students are breaking barriers in the workplace with innovative technology designed to support employees with disabilities. Their efforts, part of the CREATE competition sponsored by the New York State Industries for the Disabled, aim to improve accessibility and foster inclusion.

At the Center Mail Fulfillment facility, where 68 of the 90 employees have documented disabilities, manual tasks remain time-consuming. Students from the University at Albany have developed a solution: a system that digitizes mail processing to reduce human error and streamline operations.

“Our goal is to make the system more automated to help create more jobs for employees,” said Binh Ho, a senior at UAlbany.

Despite such advancements, workplace barriers persist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 22% of Americans with disabilities are employed, compared to 65% of those without disabilities.

“This project has created a number of jobs and improved accessibility,” said Greg Sorrentino, president and CEO of the Center for Disability Services.

Emily Kirk is seen manually doing a job that will soon become more efficient with technology. (Spectrum News 1 photo)

For employees like Emily Kirk, a senior mail clerk, the workplace is more than just a job — it’s a community.

“They’re always willing to step in and help you get stuff done,” she said.

The students’ innovation highlights the importance of collaboration in building an inclusive future where technology bridges gaps and creates opportunities for all.