Today is World Down Syndrome Day.

Several businesses across the east are using the day to celebrate inclusion in the work place.

It’s all about ridding the world of stigmas and stereotypes.

The Eastern Carolina Vocational Center’s Paul Bartlett is breaking all of those.

Paul has been an employee at ECVC for over 25 years.

There they package tens of millions of batteries for the military.

That isn’t Paul’s only job either.

He also works part time at 501 Fresh in Greenville.

On top of that, he was named employee of the year at ECVC, while balancing extra-curricular activities.

Paul favorite part of the job is, “I have fun,” he said.

“A lot of individuals are seeing people as people first and that’s a great thing about our society,” said Christina Bell, Director of Employment Services at ECVC.

“That’s including the focus of people with disabilities that they are people and while they may have one specific diagnosis is can look like varying ranges of a rainbow.”

Target, Walmart and ECU are also other big names of businesses who don’t have hiring barriers.

Bell said the biggest challenge in the next five years is bringing awareness to people.

She adds culturally our society is more understanding and accepting than it was 10 years ago.

One fun thing about the day is to wear crazy or whacky socks as a show of support.