Workforce Development at Auerfarm

Empowering young adults with diverse learning needs for sustainable, purposeful careers.

“The engine of a thriving Connecticut Economy is a skilled workforce.” -Governor Ned Lamont 

What is Growing Opportunities (GO)?

Growing Opportunities (GO) Workforce Development leverages authentic educational programming at Auerfarm to provide transitioning adults with neurodivergent learning needs age 18-22, with opportunities to gain workforce development skills in a supportive environment. Setting us apart from other workforce development programming is our ability to provide authentic and meaningful experiential learning to address the employment gap many of our students face as they transition to adulthood, at very low cost, and often FREE, to our participants.

Click here to Watch a video featuring GO!
Watch this video from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, one of our generous funders, featuring our GO Program (Skip to 1:42-3:03 to hear about Growing Opportunities at Auerfarm).

Why Choose Growing Opportunities? 

Only 1 in 5 working-age individuals with a disability is successfully employed, highlighting a critical need for inclusive workforce development programs. Just recently, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont released Work Forward: Pathways for Growth. In the Governor’s Workforce Strategic Plan, he prioritizes connecting employers with the skilled talent they need and building an economy where people from all backgrounds can live, work, and thrive in our state.

Auerfarm has fostered strong partnerships with Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and community providers for the past seven years. These collaborations create meaningful opportunities for our GO students to learn and apply workforce skills in real-world settings (on the farm and beyond!)—extending far beyond the traditional classroom experience.

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At Growing Opportunities Students Will: 

  • Develop industry-specific technical skills in our four focus areas: agriculture, food service, hospitality, and facilities management.
  • Gain essential soft skills including communication, problem-solving, socialization, time management, task focus, and endurance.
  • Increase independence, self-efficacy, and confidence through hands-on experience.
  • Build a personal workforce portfolio that documents their skill acquisition and experiences—an asset they can use when applying for future employment opportunities.
  • Foster friendships that we hope they maintain well beyond their GO experiences.

 Growing Opportunities Programs

We have a range of GO programs and our goal is to continue to expand both offerings and enrollment! Please use the below tabs to learn more and to understand our selection process and important application deadlines for each program. Auerfarm’s Growing Opportunities Programming provides 18-22 year-olds with workforce development

“We remain deeply committed to expanding opportunity and access.” -Governor Ned Lamont (Governor’s Workforce Strategic Plan)

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Shout-out to GO Supporters!

We are grateful to our generous supporters including federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, and State and Local Funding including: The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, CHEFA, The Ensworth Charitable Foundation, CSDE Summer Enrichment Grant, The Laura J. Niles Foundation,The William and Alice Mortensen Foundation, The George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation, and the Evergreen Masonic Lodge.

If our mission to support transition speaks to you and you are interested in donating time or funding to support GO opportunities please reach out to Auerfarm’s GO Program Manager, Dr. Emily Daigle at edaigle@auerfarm.org