Sierra Sands SELPA operates the Workability 1 grant program. WorkAbility1(WA1) is a California Transition Program that provides high school students, 14‐22 years old, who are on a current IEP, with pre‐employment skills, paid placement/training opportunities, and student follow‐up. The mission of WA1 is to promote the involvement of key stakeholders, including students, families, educators, employers, and other local agencies, in planning and implementing an array of services that will culminate in successful student transition to employment, lifelong learning, and quality of life.
SSUSD SELPA's WorkAbility1 Program provides students and teachers with material for the following pre-employment skills training:
Vocational assessments & evaluation of students interest and/or abilities;
Career awareness/exploration activities;
Career preparation, job search, and paid placement/training opportunities;
Work‐based learning follows along;
Follow‐up for two years after the student leaves high school
Paid Placements and Training Opportunities
Students age 16 and older are eligible for an individual placement provided they meet the below criteria:
16‐22 years old;
Active IEP;
80% attendance;
Right to Work documents (photo ID and social security card);
Transportation to get to and from the training site;
C average GPA;
Complete the Workability Work Packet;
Current Resume
Our job developers/coaches always look for prospective work sites for our students. Currently, we have students at diverse job sites within Ridgecrest, such as Walgreens, SSUSD, ACE Hardware, True Value, Ridgecrest Animal Shelter, Beauty Center, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. If you want to become an employer sponsor, please contact our office at the number at the bottom of the page.
Resources
This Workability Padlet has transition resources for our SSUSD families, including videos, webpage links, and WorkAbility documents and information. WorkAbility 1 also offers an array of services for students who are in 7th -12th+ grades.
SSUSD Workability Padlet
Workability Calendar 2024-2025
Workability Parent Brochure
High School array of services
Middle School array of services
Family Transition Network Virtual Learning Series