Applications are now open for the Madison Metropolitan School District’s 2026–2027 Project SEARCH high school transition-to-work internship program.
Project SEARCH is a one-year internship program for young adults ages 18–21 with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants gain work experience at a host business, classroom instruction and on-site job coaching, with the goal of obtaining employment at the end of the program.
“Project SEARCH is about preparing young adults for real jobs in real workplaces,” Jason Penticoff, the program’s lead said in a statement. “By the end of the year, interns leave with practical experience, stronger confidence and a clearer sense of what they can contribute to the workforce.”
Since launching in 2008, MMSD’s Project SEARCH has helped more than 100 interns secure competitive employment across Dane County.
Each year, the Madison program accepts 10–12 students.
Project SEARCH Madison is a partnership between MMSD, MARC and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. The program is hosted by UW Health and the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
The application deadline is April 1.
