ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) – Anderson Institute of Technology students with different abilities have started the new Workplace Learning Internship Program.
Every Tuesday, five special education students from Crescent High School work at The Parliament Cafe.
“This is an opportunity for our kids to come here, do some work based learning experiences to help them transition into post-secondary life. That is the goal of high school is for all students to transition to what’s next for them,” said Leigh Burton, Assistant Superintendent of Anderson School District 3. “That could look different for all kinds of students, but for these students, it’s probably going to work.”
District leaders said the group is not planning to go on to post-secondary education. The internship teaches pupils work-based skills that will help the transition into the workforce.
“They run the cash register, they do a point of sale system, run cards, restock inventory, and lots of real world skills,” said Haley Stollar a transition specialist at the Anderson Institute of Technology.
The students said the opportunity has helped them build social confidence.
“I really don’t like talking to people too much, so it kind of helped me to get to know more people and what they like, sort of stuff like that,” said Caleb Burgess, a student at the Anderson Institute of Technology.
Working at The Parliament is a portion of the learning experience.
The students also work on soft skills in the classroom.
“Getting to feel included and inclusion is really big and we’ve seen a big difference in the whole school in general with them being here,” said Stollar.
The new workplace learning internship program is bigger than just selling candy, chips and soda.
It’s about figuring out one’s strengths and where they can lead one in the future.
“It’s been a lot of social stuff, which I’m not really good at so it has helped me with social stuff and soft skills. It’s a good experience, it’s fun — you get to meet new people,” said
Crescent High School isn’t the only school partaking in the program.
Westside High School students accepted into the program will start working on Thursdays.
Anderson Institute of Technology is in the process of including Pendleton High School and T.L. Hanna High School into the program.