The School to Work Alliance Program is actively looking for local businesses to host job shadows, workplaces tours, and career presentations. 

SWAP Coordinator Amanda McDermott said the program works with young adults ages 15-24 across the whole range of disabilities, including anything from reading disabilities, ADHD, depression, anxiety, or addiction. 

The idea is to create a setting where students can learn about what local professionals do and how they could pursue a pathway into that career. 

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“We’ve got such a range of what kids want to do. We would love to know about businesses who know what we do and want to work with us, so when one of our students has an interest in something we can reach out,” McDermott said. 

There are no qualifications in order to host a job shadow or presentation. McDermott said she likes to have a one-on-one conversation with businesses beforehand to learn about the student’s needs. 

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“A lot of times the youth are working on the same things that any other youth would be working on,” McDermott said, although sometimes SWAP hires job coaches to help with work readiness, or sometimes students have physical disabilities that they work with businesses to navigate those needs. 

The purpose of SWAP is to help young adults make the transition from school to employment, by providing successful employment outcomes, increasing community connections, and creating new service opportunities for young adults within all categories of disabilities. 

McDermott said SWAP has been in the community for 27 years, and over the last few years has changed who they are able to serve and what programs they provide. 

Get in touch with Amanda McDermott at 970-756-7927 or amanda.mcdermott@moffatsd.org to be a featured business over the school year.