Transition Services

The Burton Center for Arts and Technology houses three out of the four work experience programs for students on Applied Standard Diploma. These programs require a student to have little or no work experience and can be taken consecutively. Students can apply for these programs starting at 15-18 years old. The goal of these work programs is to equip students with the necessary skills to gain competitive employment in their area of interest. In addition, these programs help transition the student from the world of school to the world of work or job training.

Project Discovery

The purpose of this class is two-fold: First to teach career development using modules in one or more of the following areas (cleaning maintenance, filing, greenhouse work, grocery clerking, hair care & styling, mail handling, table service, child care, animal care, caregiver, food service, retailing, carpentry, public health & nutrition, and skin & nail care) and secondly, to focus on job prep skills.

STEP (Student Transitioning Employment Program)

STEP is designed to aid participants in learning the skills necessary to become successful in a competitive workplace environment. Students will leave the program having learned social skills, interpersonal communication skills, work ethics, safety training, and many other concepts related to the workforce. This is a collaborative program with Rehabilitative Services & Vocational Placement, Inc. Students will participate in a rotation of classes and unpaid work experiences with the assistance of two job coaches.

CSWTP (Community School to Work Transition Program)

SWAP is designed for students to have more independence in the world of work with the assistance of job coach at each site. The students will continue to build upon employability skills, social skills, and managing the work environment. The students will have an unpaid work experience and will have a classroom component in each 9-week period. This is a collaborative program with Goodwill Industries.

The fourth program, Project Search, is a collaboration with other area school systems, DARS, Goodwill Industries, and Carilion. This program provides classroom and work experience with job coach support at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.