JACKSON,
Mich., May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers
Energy today celebrated the accomplishments of seven Jackson County
Intermediate School District students with developmental
disabilities who completed a unique experience that moves them from
the classroom to the workplace.
The students graduated from Project SEARCH, a model program that
provides students with firsthand training and knowledge for the
last year. The students, all in their late teens, rotated through
different jobs with the company and came away with experience that
better prepares them for the workplace.
"Before I came into Project SEARCH, I had severe anxiety and
some mood disability and lacked work environment experience. Once I
entered Project SEARCH, a whole new world opened. I have learned
not to carry my load of anxiety wherever I go," said Noah Cantrell, one of the Project SEARCH
interns. "All the teams I have worked with this year have given me
new skills that I can use in the future. Project SEARCH helped me
overcome so many fears and problems. I am stronger and more capable
than day one here."
"We are so proud of these students and are confident their
experience at Consumers Energy can help open doors for their bright
futures," said Angela Thompkins,
Consumers Energy's vice president of community affairs and chief
diversity officer. "We hope our partnership with the Jackson County
ISD can inspire other employers to provide similar opportunities to
others who, like these students, only need a chance."
This is the sixth year Consumers Energy and the ISD partnered
for Project SEARCH, a national program that aims to secure
competitive employment for people with disabilities. Students
worked in the company's headquarters in Jackson and its nearby Parnall facility, where
they learned and performed entry-level work across departments.
"Project SEARCH teaches much more than the critical skills
needed in the workplace, it's a valuable program aimed at creating
confidence, instilling pride and making connections with others,"
said Megan Hall, a Project SEARCH
Instructor with Jackson County ISD. "The students who participate
in this program always amaze me with the amount of growth they gain
from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Their smiles
and positive attitudes are contagious, and I couldn't be more proud
to be a part of such a wonderful program."
Consumers Energy plans to continue Project SEARCH next year and
beyond, with a goal of providing full-time jobs for some
participants.
"We are blessed with so many talented people in the communities
we serve, and are proud we can take part in Project SEARCH to
create pathways that don't always exist," Thompkins said.
Consumers Energy is Michigan's
largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity
to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower
Peninsula counties.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
ConsumersEnergy.com.
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SOURCE Consumers Energy