Program teams with hospitals to give students job experience

The Coeur d’Alene High School student was awkward, timid and barely made eye contact when he started his internship at Kootenai Medical Center this past fall.

But with a little job coaching, 19-year-old Zach Pugsley soon adapted to working in the hospital’s on-site day care, and his personality quickly endeared him to the hospital staff as well as the youngsters he watched over.

Pugsley joins a growing number of special-education high school students who are participating in an intense on-the-job training program called Project SEARCH – a national program that helps those with mental and physical disabilities transition from school into the work force. It’s a one-year program that immerses the students in a workplace environment, giving them the chance to explore possible careers while still being supported by professionals.

Jody Lawrence-Turner

Full Story: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/apr/24/on-the-job-growth/