Each school year, a group of Dayton Public Schools graduates arrives at Kettering Health Dayton to prepare for something many people take for granted: entering the workforce.
Through Project SEARCH, interns spend nine months building the skills, confidence and experience needed to find meaningful employment.
For nearly 15 years, Kettering Health Dayton has served as a host site for the program, partnering with Dayton Public Schools, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and Capabilities to provide interns with real-world workplace experience throughout the hospital.
“The goal is to make sure the students develop the skills needed in order to become competitively employed in the community,” said Robyn Ladson, a Project SEARCH instructor.
Founded at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 1996, Project SEARCH has grown into an international school-to-work transition program that helps young adults with disabilities prepare for employment. At Kettering Health Dayton, interns defer receiving their diplomas while completing the program and spend the school year gaining experience throughout the hospital.
Each day begins in the classroom, where interns learn communication, professionalism, teamwork, budgeting and self-advocacy before reporting to departments across the hospital. The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on learning designed to prepare interns for life after graduation.
The program’s success depends heavily on Kettering Health Dayton employees, who work alongside interns throughout the year and help them develop workplace skills in a professional setting.
“The employees are really good to them in all the different departments,” said Pete Spiller, volunteer coordinator and hospital liaison for Project SEARCH at Kettering Health Dayton. “These different departments kind of just take them under their wing.”
Participants complete three rotations during the school year, gaining experience in departments such as Nutrition Services, Environmental Services, Materials and Linens Distribution, Transportation, Ambulatory Care and Maintenance. The rotations allow interns to explore different career paths while building confidence and practical job skills.
“The hospital provides the interns an opportunity to explore several different careers and learn a job and skills that will help them in their daily lives,” said Denette Carpenter, a transition specialist who helps connect students and families with the program.
Job coaches from Capabilities support interns throughout the year as they learn responsibilities, adapt to new environments and work toward greater independence.
“Maybe they’re very shy and don’t know how to talk to others. We will make a goal for that,” said Kynni Orwig, a job coach with Capabilities. “Just saying good morning sometimes is a lot for them.”
For Patti Randall, a transition specialist who introduces students and families to the program, those opportunities can help create a foundation for future success.
“All of our students have IEPs and would have challenges finding a job due to developmental and intellectual disabilities,” Randall said. “This program gives them the head start needed to be successful in the real world.”
Throughout the year, interns participate in monthly planning meetings, build resumes, practice interview skills and prepare for job development services designed to connect them with employers in the community. Over the years, former interns have been hired by Kettering Health, while others have gone on to employment elsewhere.
“It’s fun to watch them from August and then, how they are in May when they graduate,” Spiller said. “It’s almost like they’re your kids and you’re just so proud of them.”
Learn more: Project SEARCH is an international school-to-work transition program for young adults with disabilities. Additional information is available at projectsearch.us.
