Pensacola, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2024) – Young adults with disabilities now have access to a new job training site, thanks to the opening of Project SEARCH on the campus of Santa Rosa Medical Center. Officials, community partners and interns celebrated with a ribbon-cutting today at Santa Rosa Medical Center.
“We are so excited our Project SEARCH interns have this valuable opportunity to learn job skills that lead to employment opportunities in the future,” said Dr. Karen Barber, Superintendent for Santa Rosa County District Schools. “We believe this program truly fulfills our district’s mission to love, educate and prepare all students for graduation and a successful future.”
Project SEARCH is a national program helping young adults with disabilities transition to employment over the course of a school year. Interns have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a real-world work environment, helping them develop valuable skills that will prepare them for future employment.
This latest Project SEARCH site hosts five talented interns and is a collaboration between Santa Rosa Medical Center, Santa Rosa County District Schools, Vocational Rehabilitation and Global Connections to Employment (GCE). As one of the nation’s largest employers of people with disabilities, GCE has replicated Project SEARCH sites at four other locations across Northwest Florida.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to expand Project SEARCH to an additional site in Santa Rosa County. Since 2007, Project SEARCH has assisted many young adults with disabilities in preparing for, securing and maintaining successful employment in Northwest Florida,” said Lisa Bloodworth, GCE’s senior director of transition and support services. “Nationally, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities continues to be more than double the rate for those without disabilities. But thanks to the support of the Project SEARCH program, 80 to 90% of our graduating interns on average find jobs each year right here in our community – which makes a tremendous difference in the lives of these young adults and their families.”
Each Project SEARCH site has a certified instructor and employment transition specialist on-site to work with both interns and business leaders, providing individualized instruction, support and accommodations. Project SEARCH interns gain increased independence and confidence, as well as competitive and marketable job skills, such as:
- Resume writing
- Job search skills
- Interviewing skills
- Social and communication skills
- Technology skills
- Presentation skills
- Workplace safety
- Money management
- Team building
- Self-advocacy
- Health and wellness, including healthy eating, benefits of exercise, and coping strategies under stress
Families interested in participating in Project SEARCH, contact Lisa Bloodworth, GCE’s senior director of transition and support services, at [email protected] or 850-281-3331.