Project SEARCH is a school-to-work transition opportunity for students with disabilities in Superior and Douglas County. While the program itself has existed since 1996, Superior Business Center is the area’s first location to host the internship experience. Project SEARCH is coordinated by the School District of Superior, is hosted at Superior Business Center and is supported by the Challenge Center and State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development - Vocational Rehabilitation. Together, these agencies have created a one-year immersion experience that combines classroom instruction, career exploration and hands-on training through worksite rotations.

The goal for each student intern upon completion of the Program is competitive employment. Project SEARCH provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent living skills to help young adults with significant disabilities make a successful transition from school to productive adult life. The Project SEARCH model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, innovation adaptations, long-term job coaching and continuous feedback from teachers, job coaches and employers. As a result, at the completion of the training program, student interns with significant intellectual disabilities can become employed in nontraditional, complex and rewarding jobs.

Student interns apply to be a part of the program and must pass a skills assessment evaluation and be interviewed as part of the acceptance process. Once accepted into the program, student interns report to Superior Business Center instead of their home school district classroom for the entire school year. Student interns rotate through a number of job site rotations. They have the opportunity to work in a variety of businesses housed in the Superior Business Center. The Project SEARCH Program serves as the student interns’ capstone educational experience and often leads to employment once the internships are complete.

This year, there are 4 student interns participating in Project SEARCH. The average Project SEARCH Program accepts 7-11 student interns annually.

Students with disabilities who are interested in becoming a student intern through Project SEARCH should contact their special education teacher or their school district’s special education coordinator to obtain application information. For additional program information, please contact Shawna Anderson at shawna.anderson@superior.k12.wi.us or Emily Winker at emily.winker@superior.k12.wi.us