Taylor cuts the ribbon on new vocational lab
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Recently, Taylor Schools welcomed the addition of a new vocational lab, designed to train young adults in practical skills that should translate into gainful employment.
Audrey Wunderlich, Taylor’s Director of Special Education, explained that the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) lab provides research-based training, work behavior development, and hands-on exploration to learn entry-level skills in the areas of business, technology, construction, production, and service.
Aimed at young adults who have earned an alternative diploma through the Kokomo Area Special Education Cooperative (KASEC), the program also empowers the young adults to practice personal finance, advocacy, and life skills to best maximize their independence.
Taylor Superintendent Steve Dishon explained how participation in the INVEST program works and how the new PAES lab comes into play.
“We house at Taylor a pre-vocational education program – INVEST -- which is a life skills course or program that teaches kids essential skills,” said Dishon. “When they leave the program, they can go out and find jobs.
“When a kid can graduate from our pre-vocational program, they can stay in school for another three years through INVEST. It is a bridge between the vocational education program and the working world.”
Dishon added that the PAES lab is the workspace the INVEST students will utilize to learn the skills they need to find employment
The INVEST program was created by KASEC in 2024, recognizing a need for further education for the young adults earning alternative diplomas. The program focuses on independence, vocation, education, skills, and training that promote applications for real-life experiences, Wunderlich explained.
The PAES lab was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation Serving Howard, Clinton, and Carroll Counties, along with a partnership with Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union.