The Career Discoveries Program wraps up its 30th year
June 20, 2018
On June 13, 2017 the Langley School District’s Career Discoveries Program held its 30th Annual Year End Celebration. Student work experience successes in restaurants, stores, offices, warehouses and manufacturing sites across Langley were recognized with slides, applause, and awards. This year several students completed over 200 hours of work experience.
The Career Discoveries Program is a District program that targets secondary students who have identified learning challenges. Planning for life after high school can be difficult for typical graduates, but for students with disabilities the challenges are greater.
The Career Discoveries Program assists students to hit the ground running after graduation. It fills the transition gap by stimulating students to think about life after high school, helping students practice employability skills, arranging work experience, finding paid jobs, and linking students to adult programs and post-secondary training. Students involved in the Career Discoveries Program are placed on work experience with community businesses starting in grade 11. By the time they graduate, students with identified learning challenges will have tried 5 or 6 different jobs.
Work experience gives students the chance to get their boots on the ground in real community workplaces. “We have had awesome support from community businesses this year,” notes teacher Marvin Moedt. “We live in a community that welcomes diversity. Good employers understand the value of a diverse workforce.” Some 50 Langley hosted nearly eighty secondary students this year.
“The year end celebration is always such a great event,” said Sandy Morgan who has had a hand in organizing the event for 29 years. “Work experience is like the ice cream on the cake. These students have worked hard on their academic and life skills for 12 or 13 years, and to be successful at work experience is pretty sweet. This year more than10 students found paid employment through work experience!”