RIVER FALLS - Project SEARCH, a transition-to-employment program for individuals with disabilities, recently celebrated the achievements of its latest cohort. Licensed through the School District of River Falls, Project SEARCH is a one-year transition-to-employment program that provides valuable career exploration and employability skills to students and adults from across western Wisconsin.

Through internships with local business partners, students explore careers and learn valuable employability skills through three separate internship rotations and classroom curriculum.

"It's incredibly rewarding to watch our students grow, gain confidence, build friendships, and acquire job skills. The relationships built and barriers overcome through Project SEARCH partnerships are invaluable." says Project SEARCH instructor Natasha Herum. “We are so excited that four of our interns have already secured community jobs, and the remaining interns are actively applying and interviewing for job positions.”

This year, Project SEARCH partnered with River Falls Hospital as the host business, while also establishing strong ties with the City of River Falls. Seven interns participated in diverse roles at the River Falls Library, City Hall, and Public Works, alongside externships at Kinnic Health and Rehab, Allina Clinic, Bo Jon’s and Freeman Drug.

This local internship experience was also made possible by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), LE Philips Career Development Center, and surrounding school districts. Statewide, 28 premier employers are participating in Project SEARCH this year.

Project SEARCH is now accepting applications for the next school year, with one spot still available for those interested in starting this fall. Applications for the following year will be available in October. Interested candidates or their guardians can reach out for more information via email at natasha.herum@rfsd.k12.wi.us.

Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort among state vocational rehabilitation agencies, area schools, local employers, and long-term care organizations to help interns acquire marketable, competitive, and transferable skills that lead to employment. The interns complete multiple 10-week rotations to maximize exposure to different career paths and learn both employability skills in a classroom and hands-on job skills in the business environment. Started at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 1996, Project SEARCH has provided workforce training to over 1,800 Wisconsin residents since its statewide launch in 2008. For more information, visit Project SEARCH Wisconsin at: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/programs/project-search/.

Submitted by School District of River Falls