(WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis.) - Central Wisconsin teen Rapids Khang found an opportunity true to his name at Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital through Project SEARCH.
Rapids is a typical 19-year-old; he enjoys working out, scrolling Netflix and YouTube, and hanging out with his friends. Like many teens and adults, he also lives with a learning disability. This year, he’s one of 11 students graduating from Project SEARCH at Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital, one of 29 Wisconsin businesses hosting the program during the 2024-25 school year.
"Initially I heard about Project SEARCH through the teachers at my high school," said Rapids. "The Project SEARCH instructor came over to our school and gave a presentation. My teachers assisted me with completing the application and getting me to skills day."
Project SEARCH is a nine-month program administered in Wisconsin by the Department of Workforce Development's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). The program provides students with disabilities hands-on job training through workplace rotations at local businesses. Interns receive classroom instruction from local school districts and personalized support from disability service providers. DVR offers job search assistance and provides individualized support to participants both during the program and after graduation.
After being accepted into the Project SEARCH program, Rapids completed two job rotations at Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids. His first was in the food and nutrition division, where he took inventory and stocked the hospital's kitchens, cleaned dishes, and prepped meals for home delivery.
"I learned there are many tasks involved in working in this department and I liked that a lot," said Rapids. "I enjoy being busy and I was eager to learn more about the kitchen and its duties.
I was also able to work with a former Project SEARCH intern, too, in this department. I think it motivated me because I was able to see what he has accomplished, and I wanted to be able to do that as well."
His second job rotation proved to be the most impactful, with the internship eventually turning into a permanent role. "The thing I am most proud of in applying to Project SEARCH is obtaining my current position at the hospital."
Rapids was recently hired as a part-time dietary aide at Aspirus. His responsibilities include delivering food trays to patient care floors, helping with food prep, assembling home-delivery meals, retrieving trays from patients, and dishwashing.
"I enjoy helping in all areas," he said. "My instructor and job coaches helped a lot, and I feel my coworkers in the kitchen were very supportive. They all encouraged me to apply to my current position."
This year marks a dual milestone for both Rapids and his employer. Not only has Rapids reached a significant personal goal with his new job, but Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital is celebrating their tenth anniversary as a Project SEARCH host site.
"The class of 2025 is our tenth graduating class from the Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Project SEARCH program," said Jane Walczak, system manager of organizational learning and development at Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital. "I am so proud to work for an organization that supports such a valuable program."
Walczak remembers the immediate impact of Project SEARCH when the hospital hosted its first group of interns a decade ago. Staff embraced the program wholeheartedly, taking pride in mentoring interns and forming strong connections with them.
"I truly believe that the positive impact the Project SEARCH program has for the interns is equaled by the positive impact it has on our staff and our culture," said Walczak. "For Aspirus, Project SEARCH provides supporting fuel to our value of compassion and our mission to help strengthen our communities."
She is particularly proud of Rapids and his growth over the past year.
"Rapids is a great example of the progression an intern can make as a participant in the Project SEARCH program," said Walczak. "Interns come in very shy, and some with little or no prior work experience. During the school year, the interns work side-by-side with their job coach, instructor, and agency staff and are given opportunities to practice and learn job skills in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe to try new skills."
Rapids’ hard work and dedication have also caught the attention of hospital leadership.
"More than one leader made mention on how impressed they were with Rapids and his willingness to jump in to help with different tasks with no hesitation – and at times, without even an ask," said Walczak. "I have seen considerable growth in the confidence Rapids demonstrates as he works and communicates with our employees and customers. I am proud of Rapids as a Project SEARCH intern and now as an employee of Aspirus."
Project SEARCH teaches meaningful, transferable job skills while building a pathway to competitive, integrated employment. Interns work alongside their peers without disabilities, ensuring real-world experience and full inclusion in the workplace. The program benefits not only the interns, but also the businesses that host them – and the broader community – by connecting local employers with skilled, motivated job seekers who are ready to put their talents to work.
Project SEARCH was developed in 1996 at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and has since grown to more than 750 sites worldwide. Wisconsin's Project SEARCH program began in 2008 with a single site located in Madison and has since expanded to 29 sites across the state.
This year, Rapids is one of more than 200 interns graduating from Wisconsin Project SEARCH, which has provided workforce training to over 2,000 individuals with disabilities since its inception.
Governor Tony Evers proclaimed June 2-8, 2025, as Project SEARCH Week in Wisconsin.
For more information, visit DVR's
Wisconsin Project SEARCH website.