NAPLES, Fla. - TelAve -- Goodwill Southwest Florida and Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) are partnering to create more opportunities for students to gain valuable workplace experience, build job skills, and prepare for future employment.

Through a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Goodwill Southwest Florida will work with CCPS to provide volunteer opportunities for students participating in the district's Transition Programs. The partnership is open to students who are interested in gaining real-world work experience and learning workplace skills through volunteer service at local Goodwill stores.

As part of the collaboration, Angela Hemstreet, Director of Employment Services for Goodwill Southwest Florida, will visit schools throughout Collier County to educate students about volunteer opportunities available at Goodwill and help connect interested students with meaningful experiences that support career readiness.

The partnership complements the district's ongoing Transition Programs, including Project SEARCH, a nationally recognized program that helps students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) successfully transition from school to employment.

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Project SEARCH has been offered by Collier County Public Schools for the past eight years and provides students with intensive, hands-on workplace training designed to prepare them for competitive employment. Students participate in a structured work environment, gain experience in a variety of job settings, and develop the skills needed for long-term career success.

"Project SEARCH is set up as their job," said Patricia Della Posta, Coordinator of ESE PreK-12 Modified Curriculum for Collier County Public Schools.

The program allows students to explore different types of work, helping them identify careers that match their interests, strengths, and goals. Employers who participate often discover that these young adults are dependable, task-focused, and eager to contribute.

"They are rule-governed and want to please you," Della Posta said. "They just have to be shown what to do, and they'll do it."

While Goodwill Southwest Florida is not a Project SEARCH training site, the organization has experienced firsthand the value that Project SEARCH participants bring to the workforce.

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Recently, Mark Carpenter, manager of Goodwill Southwest Florida's Egrets Crossing store in Naples, was recognized by Collier County's Project SEARCH program for providing employment opportunities to one of the program's graduates.

After being introduced to Luis, a Project SEARCH participant, Carpenter conducted an interview and hired him to work in the store's book department. Since joining the team, Luis has become an outstanding employee whose contributions have made a measurable impact.

The success of employees like Luis demonstrates the importance of creating opportunities for students as they transition from school to the workforce. CCPS is encouraging local employers to consider providing internships, job-shadowing experiences, volunteer opportunities, or employment for students participating in Transition Programs, including Project SEARCH.