“See me, see my skills — that’s what we’re all about.”
William O’Brien, founder and CEO of See My Skills, speaks with warmth, conviction, and more than a little Cork humour when he sits down with Disability Matters host John Comiskey. His mission is simple but powerful: to open doors for teenagers and young adults with disabilities by giving them the skills, confidence, and real-life experience they need to thrive in the workplace.
It’s a mission born from a moment that stuck with him for decades.
“When I was a teenager, there was a young man in my community — full of life, active, well-known. Then he had an accident and ended up in a wheelchair. After that, I never saw him again. It never made sense to me how someone could just disappear from the community.”
Years later, running his own business, that memory resurfaced. Together with his head of HR, Cathy Rice, O’Brien decided to make a small but meaningful change — hire a person with a disability for a real role, not as a token gesture.
That single hire opened his eyes to a vast pool of untapped talent. Over the next 20 years, he repeated the process again and again, learning first-hand how people with disabilities bring unique perspectives, problem-solving skills, and determination into the workplace.
From Idea to Social Enterprise
By 2023, O’Brien had sold his crane hire company and, alongside Cathy Rice, launched See My Skills — a dedicated programme for teenagers with disabilities to help them build confidence, develop workplace skills, and gain real-life experience.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive:
- Teachers and principals praise the boost in confidence among students.
- Parents are grateful for opportunities their children never had before.
- Companies are learning the value of an inclusive workplace.
“Most importantly, the kids are thriving,” O’Brien says.
Two Programmes, One Goal
The Accelerator Programme runs over four days in secondary schools for students in senior cycle. The aim: open windows to career paths they may never have considered.
- Day 1: Mindset and personal development — learning to quieten self-criticism and reflect positively on each day.
- Day 2: Unique careers and mock interviews — featuring talks from colleges, PLCs, and training bodies like SOLAS (“We’re not all hammers and nails — you can do an apprenticeship in cybersecurity,” O’Brien notes).
- Day 3: Skills training — a trip to a barista college for hands-on learning.
- Day 4: Workplace visits — from farms to pharmaceutical plants, students meet role models who live with disabilities and have built successful careers.
The Empower Programme is a six-week initiative for individuals who are unemployed or underemployed after leaving school or third level. Participants receive:
- Career exploration tailored to their interests.
- CV and LinkedIn profile reviews.
- Mock interviews with partner companies like Sigma Recruitment.
- Job application support and interview preparation.
The work doesn’t stop at six weeks — O’Brien’s team continues to check in until each participant reaches their own definition of success.
Breaking Down Barriers
O’Brien is candid about the fears that exist on both sides.
“For a person with a disability, the fear is losing benefits if they take a job. For employers, it’s the fear of not being able to let someone go if it doesn’t work out. But here’s the thing — in my experience, people will tell you themselves if a role isn’t right for them.”
He shares the story of a blind young man hired for a sales role in his old company. After three months, the man handed in his notice — not because he failed, but because he learned something valuable.
“He told me, ‘I now know I hate sales — but you were the first employer who didn’t put limits on me.’ That’s what this is about: giving people a chance to be seen for their skills, not their disabilities.”
Growth, Challenges, and a Call for Support
In its first year, See My Skills worked with just one school. The following year, ten. This year, twenty. Next year, they expect thirty — and that’s only in Cork for now.
O’Brien dreams of expanding to Dublin and beyond, but growth takes resources.
- Volunteers are needed for everything from mock interviews to making tea and washing up after sessions.
- Financial support keeps the programmes free for schools and individuals.
- €500 sponsors barista training for a school.
- €5,000 funds the entire Accelerator Programme for one school.
“If you’ve got five euro, we’ll put it to good use. If you’ve got more, you can change a whole school’s experience. But we won’t hound you — we only want people who are passionate about what we’re doing.”
Parents and the Bigger Picture
Parents are part of the journey too. Two weeks before a school programme begins, O’Brien meets them in person to explain what’s ahead.
“More than once, a parent has said to me, ‘Could you run this programme for adults? I’d love to do it.’ That tells you everything you need to know about the value of these skills.”
Ultimately, O’Brien says, the work is about seeing people as individuals first.
“On the first day of a school programme, I expect to see students with disabilities. By day two, all I see is teenagers. That’s the magic of it.”
The Fear of Regret
Starting See My Skills was daunting — even for a seasoned entrepreneur.
“The fear of failure nearly paralysed me. But the fear of regret was worse. I didn’t want to be an old man in a rocking chair thinking, ‘What if I’d rolled the dice?’ So I just did it.”
And he urges others to do the same — whether that means volunteering, donating, or simply starting a conversation in your own workplace about inclusion.
📍 Learn more: seemyskills.org
Disability Matters airs every Thursday at 4PM on Phoenix 92.5FM, with repeats on Monday at 3PM and Tuesday at 7AM & 3PM. Podcast available after each show on Mixcloud and on bcil.ie/radio.