Project SEARCH Offers Job Training for Underserved Populations
Not everyone sees their dream job come true, but 22-year-old Bryant Valdovinos did. Thanks to his successful completion of a Project SEARCH internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Valdovinos is now working in Food Services at CHLA.
In August 2022, Valdovinos joined CHLA’s fourth cohort of Project SEARCH, an on-site work experience program. He and his fellow interns—Martin Alonso and Eric Barrales—spent the next school year rotating through three areas of the hospital: the front desk in the John Stauffer Lobby, the HBO Café, and the Gabriel C. and Mary Duque Gift Shop.
“Since I was a little kid, I wanted to work in a hospital,” says VaIdovinos. “I like to serve people.” In fall 2023, he became the first Project SEARCH graduate to join CHLA as an official team member in his dream location—the Food Service division.
Project SEARCH, an international employment preparation program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is overseen in California by PathPoint, a nonprofit that serves five Southern California counties.
In the Los Angeles area, PathPoint collaborates with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), along with Frank D. Lanterman and South Central Los Angeles Regional Centers, to provide training for the interns at CHLA and other organizations.
Commitment to working well
Project SEARCH is one of a trio of longstanding workforce development initiatives at Children’s Hospital that reinforce the hospital’s role as an anchor institution with a priority for community well-being—from neighborhood beautification to food access to local employment.
“We are committed to helping underserved populations, as well as others new to the job market, gain access to career and work opportunities,” says Natalie Romero, Project Manager, CHLA Community Affairs, who has led the partnership and program since its inception at CHLA.
In addition to Project SEARCH, CHLA-supported workforce initiatives include the Careers in Health and Mentorship Program (CHAMP), which opens doors for young adults in L.A. to practical experience for entry-level careers in health administration, and the Angeleno Corps, a program offering college scholarships and work experience for 18 to24 year olds.
“Workforce development has been a focus in our community, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Romero. “With Project SEARCH, we are excited to see our interns through into the world of work and the next stage of their lives.”
Teachers at LAUSD’s Benjamin Banneker Career and Transition Center nominate candidates for Project SEARCH from their pool of senior-level students. After an assessment and interview process, selected interns are placed in local hospitals and other settings.
The internship tracks the school year from August to the following June, but the work really starts in July, when the interns go through “travel training,” learning how to get to and from work on public transportation.
On the job, on site
The 2022-2023 cohort at CHLA marked the first time since the pandemic the interns were able to complete their experience on-site, with no virtual component. The interns were assigned mentors for each area of CHLA in which they worked. (Each year, Project SEARCH experiences can vary. For example, 2023-2024 interns also had a chance to work behind the scenes in the AltaMed General Pediatrics Clinic.)
Valdovinos enjoyed his entire internship, but his time at the HBO Café was his clear favorite. Initially, his tasks included cleaning the dining area, wiping down tables, refilling the beverage station and stocking food items. With his go-getter attitude, he soon graduated to serving diners.
His Food Service colleagues were impressed with his work ethic. “Bryant is always giving his 100%,” says Michael Paez, Food Service Supervisor in the HBO Café, who calls Bryant an enthusiastic team member. “We try to guide him to learn something every day,” says Paez. “He’s eager to learn and always asking, ‘Can you teach me this?’”
“I like to serve people and meet new people,” says Valdovinos about his first job. “Little by little, I keep learning new things.”
“It’s exciting to see the personal growth the interns achieve, and that they themselves are really proud of the work they do,” says Alondra Mendoza, PathPoint’s Project SEARCH coordinator at CHLA.
Once interns graduate from Project SEARCH, they work with PathPoint on career development, learning about resumes, interview preparation and applying for jobs. PathPoint coaches even accompany interns on interviews.
“Our goal is to get the individuals we work with placed in a job in their community and a job they love,” says Mendoza, “in which they’re going to be successful and enjoy for many years to come.”
