Garrett County Public Schools’ High School/High Tech Collaborative Transition Program provides approximately 12 students with disabilities from Northern Garrett and Southern Garrett High Schools with 18-week internships at the Wisp Ski Resort. They have had the opportunity to work in multiple positions and receive exposure to the technology used by the resort industry. They also hear from guest speakers on such topics as post secondary education, career exploration, financial aid planning, and take field trips to local high tech companies such as Phenix Technologies and American Woodmark, as well as to local educational institutions such as Garrett Community College and Frostburg State University. All of the students are provided with Job Club activities to assist them in career planning as well as to provide for placement assistance for permanent employment and summer internships.
The overarching goal of the project is to decrease dropout rate of high school students with disabilities by providing them with experiences that will encourage them to pursue postsecondary education and technology-related careers. In partnership with Appalachian Crossroads, the project also includes job coaching to assist students in honing the ‘soft skills’ that are essential to success in any career.