DWD, Milwaukee County Zoo Celebrate Graduation of 12 Local Project SEARCH Interns

MILWAUKEE – New Berlin Eisenhower student and Project SEARCH program intern Tanner Huebner has spent the last nine months among the animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo, serving on the grounds crew, working with small mammals, and performing a variety of tasks in the warehouse and food service areas.

“I enjoyed meeting new people and getting to learn new skills,” he said. “I have learned to have confidence in myself and my abilities.”

Thanks to Project SEARCH, Tanner has gained the skills he needs to be successful in the workforce and is currently seeking a full-time job in food service, warehousing, construction, or landscaping.

“The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development celebrates over 180 Project SEARCH graduates throughout the state who have explored new skills, expanded their opportunities, and earned a sense of pride through rewarding work,” said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. “In Wisconsin, some 171,000 people with disabilities are not attached to the labor market, yet we know many want to work. With our record-low unemployment rate, supporting these individuals in achieving their employment potential has never been more important.”

The graduation ceremony held at Milwaukee County Zoo’s Peck Welcome Center in Milwaukee recently marked the completion of an immersive work experience. Each of the 12 interns recounted their hands-on experiences and talked about their future career opportunities.

In addition to the host site and DWD’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the local internship experience was made possible by partners including Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, Service System Associates, Inc., the Zoological Society of Wisconsin, Community Care, Inc., TMG, My Choice Wisconsin, and the participating school districts of CESA #1. Statewide, 25 premier employers are participating in Project SEARCH this year.

Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort among DWD, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, area schools, local employers, and long-term care organizations to help interns acquire marketable, competitive, and transferable skills that lead to employment. The interns complete multiple 10-week rotations to maximize exposure to different career paths, learning employability skills in a classroom and hands-on job skills within the business environment.

Started at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1996, Project SEARCH has provided workforce training to nearly 1,500 Wisconsinites since its statewide launch in 2008. For more information, visit the Project SEARCH Wisconsin website.

 

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Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin’s diverse workforce needs now and for the future. The department advocates for and invests in the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers through six divisions – Employment and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Unemployment Insurance, Equal Rights, Worker’s Compensation, and Administrative Services. To keep up with DWD announcements and information, sign up for news releases and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.