Project Search-Avera Marshall

Project SEARCH at Avera Marshall is a unique, business-led transition program designed specifically for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are in their last year of high school. Located within the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in Marshall, Minnesota, the program operates as a partnership between the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative (SWWC), local school districts, and the hospital itself. Instead of a traditional classroom setting, students spend their time immersed in a professional workplace environment, gaining hands-on job skills through total workplace immersion.

The core mission of the program is to prepare young adults for competitive, integrated employment. Throughout the academic year, participants rotate through various departments within the hospital, performing essential tasks and learning the "soft skills" required for the modern workforce—such as communication, problem-solving, and professional conduct—under the guidance of job coaches and department mentors. By utilizing the hospital as a "classroom," Project SEARCH provides students with the real-world experience and confidence necessary to successfully transition from education to permanent, independent employment in their community.