Education & Workforce Development
IN THE NEWS
Project SEARCH of the Black Hills is helping young adults with disabilities find careers.
Rapid City and the surrounding area residents rely on BHSSC’s Education and Workforce Development division to gain the education needed for jobs that ensure economic self-sufficiency. Our Workforce Connections program supports the non-traditional student into higher education opportunities. The Career Learning Center of the Black Hills serves as the hub for many workforce development activities.
Participants can enroll in a variety of programs including Driver Education, job-specific training, GED® preparation, adult basic education, English as a Second Language instruction, computer and keyboarding classes, and the National Farmworker Jobs Program. Community Education of the Black Hills courses offer opportunities for affordable lifelong learning. Additionally, the professional assessment center offers proctored exams, certifications, and licensures in over 1,325 fields.
Black Hills Academy
Located in a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) in Spearfish SD, Black Hills Academy at Canyon Hills Center is an education program for students 4-12th grade. Our students include residents at the facility as well as students from our member districts who benefit from a smaller setting. We strive to meet each student at their emotional and educational level and help them move forward at their own pace. We have a vastly talented staff who are very successful in targeting and meeting needs of students, Students are admitted through Lutheran Social Services or a referral from a member district.
Jeff Laughlin
Jenny Geis
Meagan Mettler
Jamie Hockenbary
Stephen Callies
Sandi Dahlgren
Mandy Fuller
Stephanie Leinen
Daniel Huitron
Kaleb Meyer
Black Hills Education Connection
Black Hills Education Connection (BHEC) is an Alternative Education Program under Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. BHEC serves students enrolled at Spearfish High School (SHS) grades 10-12, with most students being in the 11th and 12th grade. The focus of BHEC is to provide at-risk youth with an alternative learning environment and increase the graduation rate. The target population includes students who are not successful in the traditional classroom and those who have fallen behind in credits. The main goal of BHEC is to assist students in receiving a high school diploma from SHS with a secondary goal of obtaining job readiness skills and career direction.
Community Education of the Black Hills provides affordable lifelong learning for all walks of life to enjoy classes in Languages, Arts, Body & Mind, History & Culture, Active Living, and much more.
Kari Smith
The National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) is a nationally-directed, locally-administered program of services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents.
Gloria Miller
Tammy Sellars
Kathy Reisenweber
Shelly Disbrow
Erin Zimmerman
John Griffin
Project SEARCH is a unique business-led transition program for students with disabilites. Students who want to work have the chane to explore careers and devleop transferable job skills. The goal of Project SEARCH program is competitive employment for each intern.
Project Skills
Project Skills is a paid work experience program for high school students with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 21. Project Skills provides studentsthe opportunity to learn different skills in a variety of job placements, with the asistance of a job coach. Project Skills helps to build the student’s work history, references, and move into different and better jobs as they mature and are ready to take on new challenges.
The program is a cooperative arrangement between the SD Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and the local school districts. Districts served include Belle Fourche, Sturgis, Spearfish, Lead/Deadwood, Douglas and Hill City.
Kim Scott
The Workforce Connections Program provides navigation support, mentoring, and advocacy to individuals pursuing adult education.
