DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - A group of special needs students are receiving the opportunity to work in a professional environment over their summer vacation.
For one assignment, the group of students got the chance to pick up a paintbrush and leave their mark on a Honda SUV.
“Just painting a car,” said one young intern.
“A great experience to be able to paint on a car,” said intern Antonio Lopez. “No, it’s not exactly like how the others would do it, but it’s still a good start.”
Employees for the dealer said they enjoy having the students learn from them.
“It has been absolutely awesome. We are three weeks into a seven-week program,” said Marc Riley of Rick Case Honda. “We had no idea what we were in for, we just wanted to really get excited about it. The kids are having a blast, the associates are so engaged.”
The summer internship with Rick Case Honda in Davie is one of 16 in Broward County being offered to 64 students with special needs, from autism to cerebral palsy.
The internships are offered through the YMCA’s Supported Training Employment Program.
“It’s a supported employment program for youth in Broward County that are ages 16 to 22, with special needs, and it’s funded through the Children’s Service Council of Broward County,” said Kristin Libby, program director for STEP YMCA of South Florida.
The students are getting real-life, hands-on experience in various departments, working with the employees and receiving a well-deserved reward for all the hard work.
“It’s the first time that some of them have ever gotten a paycheck, and you know when they open that check and they see that money the first time, it really makes them work a lot harder,” Libby said.
“And they’re helping us. They’re helping our customers, they’re really engaged in real life stuff, and it’s awesome,” said Riley.
So far, the four students have been learning the ropes of the dealership, detailing cars and greeting customers, an experience Rick Case said can lead to future opportunities.
“This was unexpected. I never expected myself to work at a big company,” Lopez said.
And it doesn’t end when the summer’s over. Many of the interns often get hired at the end of the internship, which is the goal of the program.
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