Center-Sinai Animal Hospital and Culver City High School have earned a statewide honor from the California Department of Education for their collaboration to provide hands-on work experience for special education students.
Only 15 such partnerships in the state were recognized by being named to the Workability 1 Honor Roll.
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Center-Sinai, Culver City High School Earn Statewide Honor for Workability
The Workability Program provides special education students who have an Individualized Education Program with pre-employment and work experience training, job shadowing, industry tours and workshops, as well as employment placement. Currently, Culver High has more than 100 students who participate in the program.
Students in the Workability Program are placed in jobs for the duration of 100 hours, and the program pays the students minimum wage through government grants. After the 100 hours of work, the employer often hires the student for permanent work and the student is paid competitive wages directly from the employer. If the job placement does not work out for both the student and the employer, however, the student still gains valuable work experience and is able to build his or her resume.
Although the Workability Program works with many businesses and government agencies, including the DMV and retail stores, Workability Director Dan Phillips, nominated Center-Sinai for the Workability Honor Roll for its dedication to the Workability Program and its students. The animal hospital has partnered with and accepted students from Culver High for more than 10 years.
“Center-Sinai is great because after the program, they often hire our students,” Mr. Phillips said. “We have a very long work history with them and we look forward to continuing working with them.”
School District Supt. Myrna Rivera Coté said the program was “a perfect example of our District working closely with our business community to benefit our students. The result is a better-educated workforce and students who have real hands-on experience.”
