LAKELAND, Fla. — Students with disabilities in Polk County have developed key skills to help prepare them for the job market after they graduate thanks to Project SEARCH.
On Monday morning, this year's Project SEARCH class graduated from the program at Lakeland Regional Health after working with teachers, job coaches and mentors on developing transferable job skills the past year.
The students from Polk County Public Schools, who range between 18 to 22 years old, learned new ways to prepare for a highly-skilled, complex job in a variety of fields, Project SEARCH said in a news release. All students have already secured a job and are excited to get started in their employment after graduation, the program says.
"According to a 2023 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022 the unemployment rate for persons with a disability was about twice as high as the rate for persons without a disability," the news release reads. "Project SEARCH offers students with disabilities a way to close the gap through on-the-job skills training in complex, in-demand jobs; increasing their ability to find and maintain successful competitive employment."
Once the students graduated, they can still look forward to being involved with the program as Project SEARCH works to continue coaching and providing support from the Center for Independent Living and Vocational Rehabilitation while the students work and earn income. Also, any students that do not secure employment by graduation will still get job placement assistance and other services that will lead to paid employment.
"Project SEARCH at Lakeland Regional Health shapes a brighter future for participants with disabilities while inspiring other businesses to get involved in this successful model, boasting a higher placement rate than the national average for Project SEARCH programs," the news release stated.
To learn more about Project SEARCH, click here.