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PROJECT SEARCH
Welcome to Project SEARCH – Rice Lake, WI! The Project SEARCH high school transition program is a unique, business-led, nine-month school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace. The Rice Lake area’s Project SEARCH program is hosted at Rice Lake Weighing Systems, a local scale manufacturer and distributor.
Our local Project SEARCH began in 2016 with 8 interns learning vocational skills at the host business, Rice Lake Weighing Systems
The program includes area high school students as well as other young adults with developmental disabilities between the ages of 18-24. Many local and state agencies are working together to offer Project SEARCH to our area. We have seen the power of workplace skill-building, and how it has given invaluable life, work, and self-advocacy skills to the young adults who complete this program.
Our program is lead by a committee that is composed of members from local and state agencies, area school districts, business liaisons, and community members. We are always looking for more support for the program as well as interested families.
INTERNSHIP BENEFITS
Interns who successfully complete Project SEARCH see many lifelong benefits:
- Confidence in their abilities to learn job skills and become a self-advocate
- A guided transition from student life to working adult life with lifelong vocational skills
- The opportunity to learn what the intern desires in a prospective job after the completed internship
- Increased work ethic, relationship-building skills and self-esteem
- A brighter outlook for the future as a gainfully employed and independent adult
- The tools needed to set goals and turn experiences into résumé and job interview assets
PARTNERS
Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort between Rice Lake Weighing Systems and professional agencies to develop internships for youth with disabilities that will teach work skills, provide assistance in achieving their career goals, and enhancing their lives. Our partners include: CESA 10, Ventures Unlimited, DVR, INCLUSA and IRIS
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Project SEARCH host businesses provide job internships and an on-site area for interns to meet daily with their instructor to learn team-building and workplace communication skills. The types of internships available are custodial, maintenance, office administrative and light assembly.
BECOME AN INTERN
Project SEARCH couldn’t offer lifelong vocational skills and self-esteem to interns without support from school districts, parents, state and local funding and support providers, and local businesses.
For Project SEARCH to succeed, interns need a passion to improve their vocational skills and a desire to work.
Individuals must apply for the program, and have appropriate hygiene, some communication skills and the determination to learn new employability skills.
If you would like to participate in our program, please download, complete and submit the intern application below to be considered for next year’s Project SEARCH internships.
CONTACT US
Are you interested in becoming an intern for our next year of Project SEARCH? Please contact our local Project SEARCH coordinator for more information about intern requirements. For testimonials and general information about Project SEARCH please connect with any of the Project Search contacts.
KYLE BARBER,
PROJECT SEARCH COORDINATOR CESA 10
725 W Park Ave
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
715-720-2044
[email protected]
LORI KATCHER
HUMAN RESOURCES SUPERVISOR Rice Lake Weighing Systems
230 W. Coleman St.
Rice Lake, WI 54868
715-434-5300
[email protected]
PROJECT SEARCH HISTORY AND MISSION
Project SEARCH was developed in 1996 by nurse J. Erin Riehle. At the time, she was the emergency department director at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. As the flagship program, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital provides technical assistance and overall leadership to Project SEARCH worldwide. Project SEARCH has grown to include hundreds of programs across the United States and internationally.