The Cooperative Work Program
| The Active Career Exploration (A.C.E.) Program is a multi-faceted program that works with middle and high school students who have exceptional needs and require varying levels of support. Along with career exploration and exposure to professional environments, our program also strives to reach specific skills needed to be a productive part of tomorrow's workforce. |
Life Skills an Pre-Vocational Classes
Built into our student's curriculum are general Life Skills classes. In these classes, students work on living skills, such as cooking, money management, and health related issues, but also work on skills needed to succeed in the workplace. This is taught to ensure that by the time our students move on from the Gersh Academy, they will know the correct attire, correct employer and employee relations, and general work related procedures. Students also partake in social skills training; learning the skills that will be necessary to communicate in today's fast pace work envirnoment. These skills are taught on a yearly basis, with the complexity of the lessons increasing as the students get closer to graduation. These life skills classes are an integral part of the process in which young students become ready to be professional adults.
Students who are looking for volunteer or internship opportunities are placed into a pre-vocational class. This class is designed to ensure that the students have the skills necessary to succeed at the position they are working towards. The pre-vocational curriculum is created on a student by student basis; our goal is for them to succeed at the position that is being offered to them. For example, if a student has an opportunity for an internship at a retail store, their pre-vocational curriculum will include sorting, stocking, and other activities that are directly related to what they will be doing on a daily basis. All of our students partake in an interest profiler, which helps us match the student's interests and abilities to a job that will be right for them. The student's interests are a large part of placement options, we look to find internship or volunteer opportunities that match what the students are passionate about.
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Off Site Work Experience
Once the pre-vocational skills have been mastered to a significant level, the students will then move into the volunteer or internship position they have been preparing for. The students will come to your site with a trained job coach, ready to work and help your business succeed. Our students will essentially be an "expert" at the job you've given them, working their hardest in positions that your company needs filled. Your business will be working hand in hand with the Gersh Academy to ensure that the opportunity and relationship is mutually successful. Your business will be an integral key of the student's success, for now and the future. |
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