Berea City Schools Community Based Job Training Program
One of the principal tasks of education efforts for secondary-level students with disabilities is to prepare these students for the world of work. One way of getting students ready for the world of work is to provide them with the opportunity of participating in community-based or school-based job training prior to exiting special education services.
Participation in various community-based or school-based job training activities provides the students with the opportunity to learn “real-world” skills in authentic settings and enables them to gain the kinds of skills they will need in the adult work setting. It has also been demonstrated repeatedly that community-based or school-based job training is an extremely effective way to improve competitive integrated employment as an outcome prior to exiting special education services.
The students who are participating in the job training program are not considered an employee of the business or school, but are considered a trainee. As a trainee, the students are not entitled to wages or benefits from the business. At the end of their training period, the students are not entitled to a paid position. The students are always accompanied by a Berea City School District staff person, who provides supervision and job coaching. The Berea City School District’s liability insurance coverage applies to all students working at a community-based job training site, so the business is not liable for the trainees.
Community Based Job Training Locations
Baldwin Wallace College - Food Prep
Walgreens - Retail
Lifeworks – Custodial/Laundry
*Due to COVID-19, all job training sites are located within the school building.