Westbridge Vocational

Vocational rehabilitation and training - integrated facility based work training and job placement. Westbridge Vocational's (formerly webster enterprises) mission is to serve the disabled and disadvantaged populations of jackson, macon, swain counties and the eastern band of the cherokee. Our staff of employment support professionals (esp's) work closely with the program participants who face barriers to independent employment, whether they struggle with economic or social hardships, physical impairments, or developmental disabilities. Our work goal is to locate and secure a community based, person-centered employment opportunity for each participant. Utilizing our manufacturing facility, we have created an effective training program covering: work skills such as measured productivity and quality, and adherence to policy and procedures; and soft-skills, such as attendance and punctuality, interactions with co-workers and supervisors, and appropriate attire and hygiene. Our classroom is utilized, in conjunction with southwestern community college for teaching basic language and number skills, and also for developing resumes, searching for and preparing job applications, and honing interview skills. Over the past five years Westbridge Vocational has placed over 130 of our participants in competitive employment in their local communities.

Project search - internship work based training and job placement Westbridge Vocational is the community rehabilitation program for a nationally recognized initiative called project search which provides job training internships to disabled individuals in collaboration with the local office of the state Vocational rehabilitation department and the local community college (scc) as the host site. Project search provides three work-based, 8 to 10-week internships for high school graduates via a large employer "host" site. Participants have severe to moderate developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, orthopedic impairment and/or autism. Competitive, local employment is the goal and for the last four years our employment outcome rate is over 80% the success of this program results in hard-working, encouraged and self-reliant individuals living more independently within their communities.

Pre-employment transitional services (pets) Westbridge Vocational pets program provides grade-specific pets instruction to high school freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Participating students are eligible for up to 12 weeks of instruction per year. Students enrolling in the program as freshman will be eligible for up to 38 weeks of pets services over the course of their high school career. Milestone instruction includes: career exploration, psychometric testing, career readiness instruction, works skills labs, self-advocacy training, workplace readiness and work values profile. Our staff are serving eight high schools in jackson, macon, and swain counties and the ecbi qualla boundary. During the year, Westbridge engaged with 85 students in the pets program.