You may have heard of the Project SEARCH program at Anne Arundel Medical Center, but did you know there is also a Project SEARCH taking place at the BWI Hilton? The program is done in partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Hannah More School, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) and Service Coordination, Inc as well as a host business such as Anne Arundel Medical Center or the BWI Hilton. This program is specifically designed for young adults, ages 19-24 in Anne Arundel County. The interns rotate through three, 10-week internships over the course of one school year. These internships are developed to provide marketable, transferrable skills leading to gainful and meaningful employment.
The Project SEARCH site at the BWI Hilton hosts 11 interns. They work in everything from maintenance, to customer service, and banquet preparation and are gaining skills to serve them in acquiring competitive employment. Tyler, an Employment and Business Relations Coordinator with The Arc, says "Watching the interns develop skills both through an employment standpoint but also a social standpoint has been amazing. The confidence and enthusiasm each intern exhibits is a direct benefit of Project SEARCH's model. I look forward to seeing what is in store for this inaugural class of Project SEARCH at the BWI Hilton."
