Ponaganset High School students successfully graduate the Pre-ETS Tri-Employment Program.

Published on Monday, April 29, 2024

On April 24th, 2024, a celebration marked the successful completion of Ponaganset High School's first participation in the Office of Rehabilitation Services' Tri-Employment Program for students. The students who took part in this program were able to celebrate the culmination of all their accomplishments with their proud teachers and counselors. All of the students who completed the twenty-week program, which included work readiness classes and paid internships, have been hired for permanent employment with their host employers.

Congratulations to all the youth who successfully completed the program and have found employment!

The Tri-Employment Program is offered through Rhode Island's ORS Vocational Rehabilitation Program as one of their Pre-Employment Transition Services for students. The program is a six month after school program that provides work readiness training for students with disabilities who are applicants or non-applicants to ORS. These work readiness opportunities are designed to engage and expose students to the interpersonal, supervisory, and performance expectations of work. Students who participate in the program will attend workshops to learn about work settings, communication while at work, and the skills needed to be successfully employed. Students will then have the opportunity to practice the interpersonal and work skills they have learned through a ten-hour per week paid integrated work experience. While in the integrated work environment, students will continue to receive support around understanding work demands and performance expectations. At the completion of the program, students may secure potential permanent employment by their host employer. 

Click on the link to learn more about our Pre-Ets Tri-Employment Program. https://ors.ri.gov/programs/vocational-rehabilitation-program/pre-ets

A special shout out to our Rehabilitation Counselor Emilee O'Conner from RI Office of Rehabilitation Services, Justine Young from Viability, and Gary Martinelli and Amy Ricketson from Ponaganset High School who have worked with these students since the beginning of 2022 as a team to provide support and opportunities to each student in the program. The "Tri" in Tri-Employment stands for the collaboration between Rhode Island's Office of Rehabilitation Services, the school and the vendor agency.