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Tony Evers, Governor
Amy Pechacek, Secretary-designee

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2023
CONTACT: DWD Communications
CommunicationsOffice@dwd.wisconsin.gov

DWD, Mercyhealth Celebrate Graduation of Six Local Project SEARCH Interns

Project SEARCH Program Prepares Young Adults with Disabilities for Rewarding Careers

Cole Gapski is one of six interns who have graduated from the Mercyhealth Project SEARCH site in Janesville.

JANESVILLE – Cole Gapski entered Project SEARCH very quiet, with a goal to work at a movie theater one day. He challenged himself every day to master the skills needed to make and serve food. In addition, he developed excellent money handling skills, often mentoring other interns on how to do it.

During his last rotation in Mercyhealth's Environmental Services, he became more social with his coworkers.

"He has developed strong leadership skills and we are very proud of the wonderful growth he has developed over the past year," said Lori Lange, Instructor for the Project SEARCH program.

"The Department of Workforce Development this year is excited to celebrate Wisconsin's nearly 200 Project SEARCH graduates, who pushed themselves to explore new opportunities, develop additional life skills, and take pride in the work they have done over the past nine months," said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. "In Wisconsin, more employers are tapping the state's diverse talent pool. Successful programs like Project SEARCH reaffirm that workers with disabilities can bring tremendous skills and abilities to any employer's workforce."

The graduation ceremony at Mercyhealth Hospital on Friday, June 2, in Janesville, marked the completion of a nine- to 12-month immersive work experience. The interns recounted their hands-on experiences and talked about their future career opportunities.

In addition to the host site, the local internship experience was made possible by partners including the Department of Workforce Development's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Cooperative Educational Service Agency 2, Aptiv, Aging and Disability Resource Center, TMG Wisconsin, and My Choice Wisconsin. Statewide, 28 premier employers are participating in Project SEARCH this year.

Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort among 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 and learn 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 approximately 1,500 Wisconsin residents since its statewide launch in 2008. For more, visit Project SEARCH Wisconsin.

Project SEARCH interns at Mercyhealth in Janesville graduated from the program on June 2, 2023.

ABOUT DWD

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.