Oklahoma DRS helps high school student get full time job

TULSA, Okla. — The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation's Best Step Program helped a high schooler get a full time job.

Gage Jacobs was a high school student who didn’t know what to do next. After going through the best step program, he now has a career.

“When I went to the camp I thought it was just gonna be a fun experience and I was gonna get a regular internship for a couple weeks, get training on what’s it’s like to work in the real world. I never thought I was gonna get a job that was gonna stick with me for quite a few years,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs said the program taught him job and people skills.

They helped him get an internship with a local electric company that turned into his now full time job.

“I have a bunch of great friends I’ve made in the company and I have a big network now because he knows a bunch of electrical companies,” said Jacobs.

Jacob Keller works as a transition counselor for the best step program. He said the program starts with a one week skills camp where they work with the students and teach them job skills.

“It teaches them both skills they’ll use on the job and take to another job, transferrable skills. It also teaches them people skills which is how to talk and interact because a lot of them don’t know what’s appropriate to say and what’s not appropriate,” said Keller.

Then they introduce the students to local businesses and get them four week internships.

“Getting to interact with the kids and getting them their first four week job is a really big deal and their faces when they get their first paycheck is really cool too,” said Keller.

The students work up to 25 hours a week and get paid ten dollars an hour through the program. Keller said sometimes the businesses will even offer the students full time jobs after the internship is over like they did with Jacobs.

“I want them to get the confidence that they can be successful,” said Keller.

You can apply for the Best Step Program and find more information on the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation by clicking here .

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