With graduation season here, we've seen hundreds of high school and college students dressed in their caps and gowns celebrating their big day. One unique graduating class held a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center this afternoon.
The Project Search class of 2021 has spent the past year building their career skills and getting experience in real-life work settings. Now, they proudly walk the stage at graduation ready and equipped with the skills to join the workforce.
This is the 8th group of students who have completed the Project Search program. It’s a big day for the students as they’ve spent the last year as interns, and now they’re ready for a job of their own.
Caidan Rodgers, a graduate from Project Search says, “Everybody that has a disability, I think they should come here because you get to learn new things, how to work at a job, and get money.”
Project Search is a one-year program that helps kids with disabilities transition from school to successful adult life. These students spent the past year in the program dipping their toes into many different job roles at Mercy Health St. Rita’s. They got a chance to see what it's like to work in areas such as food prep, the fitness center, gift shop office, and even grounds keeping.
Leigh Taylor, the instruction coordinator for the program says, “The need for the project search program is huge. Not only does it help with the workforce and get them out into the working world, but it gives them that kind of nine lives before they get out there and try it out on their own.”
Mercy Health says almost 90 percent of students who finished the program at St. Rita’s are hired in a job either at the hospital or in their community. Some of the students in the class of 2021had interviews and potential job offers lined up already.
The students definitely have big plans for their future, and this is what Rodgers says his goals are.
“Go get a job for myself and be successful and hopefully start a family one day in the future,” says Rodgers.
Project Search is housed at the Apollo Career Center. For more information on how to apply you can head to apollocareercenterhs.com
