Yes, the instructor needs to be on site at the host business all day. The instructor is the on-site coordinator and an integral part of the team. In most Project SEARCH programs the instructor’s role is similar to a case manager or program coordinator for the student interns. The duties include:
- Planning and teaching the Project SEARCH Employability Skills curriculum
- Assisting student interns with interviewing skills and resume and portfolio development
- Coordinating and implementing the Employment Planning meetings to be held at least twice during each internship
- Completing the Vocational Fit Assessment for the student interns and internships with the skills trainer(s), sharing the information with the team, and applying the results for meaningful internship selection and final job development
- Developing internship sites with the business liaison and skills trainer
- Ensuring that the student interns learn competitive, marketable, transferable skills and achieve maximum productivity and quality while on their internships
- Developing work accommodations and work aids with the skills trainer
- Evaluating each student intern’s progress and filling out required documentation for partners, funders, and the Project SEARCH database
- Providing employer education about disability awareness and supervising people with disabilities
- Recruiting student interns for the next Project SEARCH class and creating a pipeline of potential candidates
- Ensuring that student interns are eligible for VR, long-term support, SSI, and other appropriate community, state, and federal supports
- Advocating for and facilitating internal job development at the host business
- Developing relationships with potential community employers
- Marketing the program within the host business and to the wider community
- Interacting with the student interns’ family members/caregivers
