From Recruit to Recruiter: Dominic Finds Success at NTI
Aug. 2021
By Michael Hardman
During his time with NTI, Inc., Dominic Barber has been known for his work ethic, first as a call center agent, and now as a recruiting supervisor, helping Americans with disabilities find jobs. He says his drive to do his best is what motivates him, and he knows whether he got it from.
“My mom (Pauline) is the hardest working person I have ever known,” said Barber. “She grew up as a single mom, working two barely minimum wage jobs, but she made sure we had everything we needed. We never went without.”
When Barber’s accident left him paralyzed in a wheelchair, his mom’s determination and commitment to her son were big factors in his recovery. His father, Earl, drove across the country to help his son.
“She is bendable but unbreakable, she always has my back,” said Barber. “That is where I got my drive from. My mom and dad had been divorced for a long, when I got hurt, and he was living in California. As soon as I got hurt, he got a big RV drove across the country, and probably stayed for six months.”
A Jacksonville, Fla. native, Barber was honored with a certificate from Careers & the disabled Magazine in their employee of the year award contest. “I was surprised, and I was definitely excellent to win it,” he said.
Those who have worked with Barber during his time with NTI, Inc. know how valuable his efforts have been in getting Americans with disabilities at home jobs working in call centers for government organizations, Fortune 500, large and small companies. NTI provides free training and job placement services when you register at www.nticentral.org.
“With Dominic, you get a person who is a tireless worker, who is driven to be the best he can be,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operating Officer. “When you give him an assignment you know he will get it done and it will be done well. Dominic is always helping us to discover new and better ways to train and help Americas with Disabilities find jobs. We really valve his thoughts and ideas, because he has been such a positive influence on everyone he works with.”
Before he was hired by NTI, Barber was out of work for 11 years after an accident left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Remembering the lessons, he was taught at a young age, Barber just keep trying to find a job until NTI called and offered him a chance to become a call center agent.
“My drive comes from just trying to somewhat overcome my injury,” he said. “It comes from making sure I don’t let anything hold me back. For so long, I want to be self-sufficient, working and doing something like this rather than having a whole bunch of time and feeling like I couldn’t work.”
“It is determination to overcome my injury. It comes from how long I had been out of work and trying to find work. I knew I would dive in once I found work. I want to be the best in everything I do.”
As a recruiter, Barber’s job is to help others in the same type of situation he found himself in before getting a job with NTI@Home. “I always feel like I can help people,” he said.
His fellow NTI employees know they can count on Barber to help them out when they need it. In the spring of 2019, NTI was putting together an advertisement for New Mobility Magazine and needed someone to model for him as a wheelchair basketball player. After a call was made to Barber’s Florida home, he quickly agreed to come to Boston for the photo shoot. Despite not being a wheelchair basketball player and never modeling before, Barber took to the game quickly and helped the photo shoot be successful for NTI.
It isn’t every day, a professional photographer takes your photo for a magazine ad, and although, he was having fun, Barber was zeroed in on what he is usually focused on.
“I just hope this helps people get jobs,” he said.
NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their family caregivers find work-at-home jobs in call centers for government organizations, Fortune 500, large and small businesses with free training and job placement. You can register at www.NTIcentral.org.