Auerfarm’s GO program meets the challenges head-on by providing workforce development of hard skills and soft skills required for careers in agriculture, facilities management, food service, and hospitality. The workforce development program increases the hire ability of high school students with special needs. GO expanded on existing partnerships with West Hartford Public Schools and the Farmington Valley Transition Academy. The GO school-year program has evolved since its inception to include a summer program and now includes no less than 8 transition programs from area towns. Creating a year-round farm-based workforce development opportunity for students has been instrumental for increasing retention and opening employer doors to grow workforce opportunities. GO students have their adaptability needs and career interests met by a program designed to sow opportunities and bridge barriers for the marginalized population. Young people with special needs have more societal risks of living below the poverty line. Research shows 1 in 5 working age individuals with a disability are successfully employed. An Accenture study found 29% of Americans with a disability between ages 16 and 64 were employed compared to 75% of non-disabled Americans in the same age bracket. The underemployment of individuals with special needs has a debilitating financial and emotional effect on families in the United States. A 2018 study found businesses that actively seek to employ people with special needs outperform businesses that do not. Furthermore, such businesses saw a 90% increase in overall employee retention. Despite the financial and organizational benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities, there are still limited opportunities available to this population. GO’s curriculum focuses on agriculture, facilities management, food service and hospitality workforce training experience. Hands-on curriculum will be delivered to students by industry professionals and job coaches throughout the year (students graduate on their 22 birthday). Students are evaluated using their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Student interests and capabilities are considered allowing GO to target specific industry skills.

The GO impact of this comprehensive workforce plan is an investment in the future of our community. Access to the workforce training has a positive impact on creating a pipeline for acquiring opportunities that may not have been available without the Auerfarm career program. The program provides our students with a pipeline of independence for building self-efficacy industry skills and securing meaningful employment. The overwhelming success of the program has been widely received and beneficial for our special needs students and mentors. The GO program has provided an empowered lens to succeed in a new field, choose new career path(s), make real and lasting friendships, break the cycle of poverty, and a dependence on state assistance, while making a difference through significant independent growth. Success of the Growing Opportunities program was measured by: Increases in the # of students with jobs post-graduation, increases in the # of job sites hiring students with special needs, increases in the # of students completing professional certifications, increases in the # of new volunteers engaged in the programs and businesses engaged in the program and learning advantages to hiring students with special needs, i.e. guest speakers, presenters and coaching. The GO program is a successful workforce development plan of action for students with special needs and high school students.