McLeod Regional Medical Center celebrated the fourth Project SEARCH graduation on May 24.

Project SEARCH is a unique one-year business led transition-to-work program to train students with significant disabilities to learn employability skills and seek gainful employment either at the host business or within their community. In Florence, the Project SEARCH program is a partnership between McLeod Health, Florence 1 Schools, SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, and SC Vocational Rehabilitation.

“Our Project SEARCH interns do not just learn in a department; rather they are a part of the department and become integral members of a team,” said Matthew Peake, McLeod Health Careers Program Coordinator. “The interns are not treated like students but held accountable and therefore respected as peers. Departments who partner with Project SEARCH have been positively impacted by the inclusivity that this program reinforces.”

Nancy Brown, a Project SEARCH Instructor, added, “There are many individuals in every department that look beyond the disability and just see a young adult co-worker. The interns participate in McLeod Health departmental meetings, events and celebrations. The departments truly see them as part of the McLeod team.”

The McLeod Regional Project SEARCH will be entering its fifth year of operation in August as we continue this unique workforce pipeline. Over the past four years, many students have successfully transitioned from intern to employee and are still employed at McLeod Regional Medical Center.