© CCHMC 1/3/06

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Goal of Internships

• Build core skills that are:• Competitive • Marketable• Transferable

• Develop culture change within the organization• Allow host business staff to talents of young people with

disabilities• Create opportunities for “job match”

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© CCHMC 1/3/06

Project SEARCH is doing more than providing valuable work experiences for students. It is massaging and changing corporate culture and the receptivity of workplaces to employ people with disabilities.

Diversity World Magazine, November 2006

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Internship Opportunities

• Look for “Equipment, Paper and People Intensive” positions

• Look beyond traditional positions of food service and cleaning

• Identify areas where interns can learn competitive and complex skills

• Identify skills that can be layered and lead to job opportunities at the host site and in community

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Identifying Internship Sites

• Seek a wide variety of sites to meet the interests of all students and build a wide base of skills

• All host business and on-site partners can identify new internship sites: department managers, PS instructor and job coach

• Possible internship sites could include departments with a high volume of entry level work, high turnover areas, and outsourced functions

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Be Strategic: Skills that Lead to Jobs

• Identify “Core Skills” needed for multiple entry level jobs at host business or like business/job area in the community

• Example: Materials Management could build skills for logistics, warehousing, shipping and receiving, retail

• Determine high turnover areas and needed skills for those positions

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Making the Internship MatchStep 1: Identify the intern’s strengths.

• What skills and experience does s/he have• What does the student like to do?

Step 2: Be open to looking at your jobs differently.• Can this job be accomplished in a different way?• Does this job need to be done in this location, and during

these hours? • Can tasks be split between employees and interns?

Step 3: Identify a department/manager that is looking for unique opportunities to build talent.

• Will the job internship site be a good environment for the student to build technical and employability skills?

• Is this a job rotation that may lead to long term employment by teaching the student transferable skills?

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Educating Staff• Marketing Program – Newsletters, Ads,

etc.• Conduct Information Sessions• Highlight New Recruitment Stream• Sensitivity Training• Manager Training Before Hosting a

Rotation• Fifth Third Bank Manager Handbook

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Sample of Administrative Skills Performed by PS interns

• Filing• Organizing and Collating• Answering Phones• Data Entry• Shredding• Scanning/Imaging• Customer Service

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Sample of Hospital Internship Areas

• Mail Delivery• Courier• Patient Transport• Recovery: Stocking• Recovery: Escort• Stocking: ER, Wards• Clinic areas• Pathology• Sterilization

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Host Business Liaison Role• Markets the program internally• Seeks departments to host internship sites• Gives preliminary information about P S

• Instructor provides follow up information• Introduces instructor to other key departments:

• Employee Health• Security• Human Resources• Marketing

• Negotiates hiring opportunities• Networks at like businesses for employment

opportunities based on skills learned

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Manager/Mentor Role• Volunteer department for internship site• Identify tasks that build core skills• Allow instructor and coach to observe work • Negotiate job description with PS staff• Choose peer mentor as “point of contact”• Interview student for position• Notify student to confirm• Give constructive feedback to coach and intern• Provides natural support (lunch, staff meetings)• Layer additional core skills, increases production• Provide PS staff with employment suggestions

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Instructor/Job Coach Role• Student Interns:

• Assess student skills, interests and values (throughout year)• Prepare the student for internship process including interview• Facilitate development of career goals • Develops productivity log with student and/or skill acquisition log• Identifies potential hiring opportunities• Advocates for hire when “good match” exists

• Internship Development:• Observes department work• Identifies core skills/essential functions for the student to learn• Develop job description and possible accommodations • Provides employer education on disability and supervision

strategies• Works with peer mentor to provide support to intern• Communicates with peer mentor; identifies support and training

strategies to ensure skill acquisition

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Job Coach Role• Observes department work• Identifies core skills/essential functions• Develops task analysis• Confirms internship tasks with manager• Teaches core skills to student• Develops lean tools/accommodations • Works with peer mentor to provide support

• Evaluates progress• Layers additional skills

• Give feedback to student

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Student Role• Identify area of interest / keep open to

possibilities• Develop resume/data sheet – send to department• Interview for internship position• Learn all tasks identified on job description and

reach productivity and quality standards • Contact department for any absences, days off

related to school calendar• Be open to feedback from all staff• Give two weeks notice • Write “Thank You” letter to department • Update portfolio and resume with new skills• Repeat process three times

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Internships to Job • 1st Internship: Administrative Office

– focus on phone skills • 2nd Rotation: Consumer Lending –

focus on computer skills • 3rd Rotation: Receptionist in Lobby

(combine and add skills)• Hired as receptionist• Promoted to HR in 2 years

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