Affiliations: Ivymount School & Programs, Rockville, MD, USA
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Eve Müller, Ivymount School & Programs, 11614 Seven Locks Road, Rockville, MD 20854, USA. Tel.: +1 301 379 6481; E-mail: emuller@ivymount.org.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Project SEARCH is a widely popular vocational training program serving young adults with intellectual disabilities, with more than 500 program sites in 45 states and nine countries. Project SEARCH incorporates many best practices for school-to-work programs, including responsiveness to employer needs, but very little research has been conducted on the impact of the Project SEARCH model. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates employer satisfaction with Project SEARCH interns, hires at the host business site, and support received from Project SEARCH teams. METHODS: We surveyed 114 employers across four Project SEARCH sites. RESULTS: Findings indicate that on average, employers were highly satisfied with both the quality of Project SEARCH interns and employees hired through Project SEARCH, as well as with the support received from Project SEARCH teams. Findings further indicate that employers appreciated receiving a wide range of accommodations and/or supports from Project SEARCH teams, and that in spite of initial employer concerns regarding the hiring of individuals with disabilities, Project SEARCH teams did a good job of addressing these concerns. CONCLUSIONS:The Project SEARCH model, which takes a “demand-side” approach, appears to result in high levels of employer satisfaction.
Keywords: Employment, supported work, secondary transition, employees with disabilities, employer satisfaction, Project SEARCH model
