Project SEARCH, an internship program designed to transition young adults with disabilities into enduring employment with area businesses, will host its sixth annual Intern Showcase from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the IU Health LaPorte Hospital Auditorium.
Area businesses and human resource professionals are encouraged to attend to learn how graduates of this innovative program may fit into their hiring plans. The interns of Project SEARCH IU Health LaPorte will be on hand to share their experiences and skills. Professionals with Project SEARCH will be available to provide information on how interns can meet entry-level employment needs of area businesses.
“Project SEARCH can help businesses recruit entry-level employees who are committed to a specific position, and who have been well trained for gainful and competitive employment in our communities. Data show that placing the right person for the right job through Project SEARCH can increase productivity, reduce unplanned days off and reduce turnover rates, among many other benefits,” said Luke Stigler, liaison for Project SEARCH.
IU Health LaPorte Hospital has recruited interns for employment successfully through Project SEARCH in areas such as food and nutrition services and housekeeping. As a partner in the project, the hospital offers internships where students can build solid work skills and sharpen their talents in certain areas where they likely will excel in the workplace.
“Graduates from this year’s internship are efficient, highly productive, detail-oriented and dependable,” Stigler said. “We have some who are strong in clerical work, mechanically inclined, and social to the point where it is possible to build a community around them.”
Local partners in Project SEARCH include South LaPorte County Special Education Cooperative, Michiana Resources, IU Health LaPorte Hospital, Indiana University Institute on Disability and Community, and Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.
For more information about becoming a partner in Project Search, contact Luke Stigler or Kim Latchford at Michiana Resources, 219-874-4288.