Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is a transition-to-work program with the goal of competitive employment for students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities. To reach this goal, the program provides students with real-life work experience and independent-living skills to help students make a  successful transition to a productive adult life. Project SEARCH is a year-long program with two major components. The first component is instruction in a classroom with a Special Education Teacher and an Associate Teacher using a specific employment skills curriculum. The second component consists of three internships within Wegmans; students are trained by program teachers from BOCES and Wegmans staff. Support is significant at the beginning of each internship and is slowly removed so that the student demonstrates abilities independently. 

• Interview skills  
• Customer service   
• Problem solving   
• Communication skills  
• Team building  
• Self-advocacy skills  
• Employability skills  
• Independent life skills  
• Financial literacy skills  
• Time management   
• Workplace safety   
• Preparing for employment  
• Maintaining employment 

Students have three targeted unpaid internships in three different departments at Wegmans locations. Interns will acquire competitive, marketable, and transferable skills to enable them to apply for related positions. 

Internship possibilities include:

• Grocery  
• Health and Wellness  
• Dairy
• Frozen  
• Seafood  
• Deli  
• Bakery  
• Produce  
• Prepared Foods  
• Pizza Shop  
• Sub Shops  
• Helping Hands  
• Front End/Cashier 

Interns must:

• demonstrate the ability to follow directions in a timely and accurate manner.  
   
• be able to communicate appropriately with staff, peers, coworkers, and customers.   
   
• demonstrate enough stamina to actively participate in job-training for 4-hour time periods daily.  
   
• demonstrate a willingness to participate in the program and a desire for future competitive employment.  
   
• demonstrate basic independence skills and have the capabilities to be left unsupervised for extended periods of time.  
   
• consistently demonstrate appropriate behaviors and follow all Monroe One BOCES and Wegmans protocols.  
   
• follow the Wegmans dress code and demonstrate appropriate hygiene.  
   
• be active participants in lessons, their internships, and activities throughout the year.  
   
• be flexible with change.  
   
• have a knowledge of basic computer skills.

Interns will participate in becoming travel trained. This is collaboratively decided on with the intern, family, and district support. When training is complete, district transportation will be removed, and students will use RTS to travel to and from school each day.

• Special Educator   
• Associate Teacher  
• Transition Specialist
• Lifetime Assistance (LAI) Employability and Training Specialist Support  
• Travel Training   
• ACCES VR Support  
• Employment planning meetings   
• Wegmans liaison  
• Wegmans departmental mentors/coaches