Program helps students with disabilities find a career

A project between the Centennial School District and medical device maker Medtronic is giving some students with disabilities help finding a career.

Project SEARCH is a year-long business internship that trains students in manufacturing and office skills at Medtronic.

Some of the interns end up working at the Minneapolis-based company, and others gain the confidence to seek out other jobs, said instructor Pat Bergstrom.

"They walk out with a good resume, with some skills that they wouldn't have otherwise had, so some apply to other medical device companies. There's a lot of different ways that doors are opened," she said.

Bergstrom said the five-year-old program also gives students more confidence.

"Just that alone allows them to apply for some jobs they may have not considered in the past because the didn't think they would be qualified to do. Or they've seen some things that they didn't know they could do that now they can bring those skills to the table when applying for work."

Ten interns graduated from Project SEARCH Friday.