School to Work Transition Services Involving the community in a new school-to-work program meeting the needs of students and employers

Specialist, Kimberly Bowman, kbowman@theemarc.org

Specialist, Kristin Weekley, krw@theemarc.org

Specialist, Paula Westmacott, PW@theemarc.org

20 Gould Street, Reading, MA 01867

Phone:  (781) 213-7936

Fax: (781) 213-6927

School to Work Transition Services

• Teach students the social and life skills necessary to get and keep a job
• Allow high school students the opportunity to gain work experience before they graduate
• Match the job opening with the appropriate student
• Help the employers provide initial instruction to the student
• Make sure that the employer is satisfied with the work that the student is doing

Students in the Program are

• From Reading, Melrose, North Reading, Lynn and Stoneham school distrists
• Between 14 - 22 years old
• Interested in a broad range of careers
• Reliable and dependable

Benefits to the employer are

• Time and money saved on recruiting qualified employees
• Potential to earn tax credits for employing individuals with disabilities.
• Free support from a job coach in training the student
• A valuable school/ community partnership
• Increasing the probability that the students will become productive citizens who are assets to their community.
• A more highly skilled and reliable work- force
• Positive Recognition
• Long term committment from these employees

The employer will provide the students with

• An opportunity to participate productively in society
• A chance to learn skills in order to live independently
• Development of the confidence and self-esteem a person gets from holding a job

A sampling of jobs held by school-to-work students:

• Cashier
• Stocking shelves
• Office assistant
• Cleaning offices
• Customer service
• Kitchen assistant
• Sales
• TV production

This is a partial list of some of the jobs that the students have done or are doing. We are not limited to this list and welcome any other suggestion for jobs.