Helping those with disabilities find a career

Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) — Project SEARCH is an international organization aiming to help people with disabilities transition post-high school and into the workforce.

In Rapid City, the organization operates out of Monument Health.

Project SEARCH goes through three rotations and opens doors to several job opportunities.

“First internships are an introduction to different types of departments. And then in two we’re kind of focusing on more of their likes, and then by the third rotation we’re really looking for employment opportunities,” Program Coordinator Pam Junek said.

In addition to these internships, these individuals receive training on independence, employability, and social skills with the goal of competitive employment.

Finding a job can be a difficult task without knowing if you’d enjoy that position.

“And that kind of fell through a lot and so when I got into Project SEARCH, it almost happened right away, they helped me get a permanent job,” Project SEARCH Graduate Berkley Kolkman said.

“All across the board, like from nutrition to just career skills, people skills especially with what I do. I work with people and check them in,” Project SEARCH Intern Nate Dickerson said.

Project SEARCH has partnered with Monument Health for over 10 years, and looks for their interns to be treated like everyone else.

“Project search does not carve jobs. So they’re expected to do the same jobs as everybody else that is there. And what we do is we partner them with mentors within the departments that are willing to work with them to teach them the jobs,” Junek said.

Project SEARCH is all over South Dakota with locations in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Brookings and now Yankton.

If you are interested in joining Project SEARCH, the application deadline is at the end of February. That information can be found here .

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