Services To Enhance Potential’s Employment and Training Services Department promotes employment opportunities by providing job development and placement, job training, and job coaching. Our training programs include a Certified Janitorial Training Program, Retail Training through our Thrift Store Operations, and General Business Training designed to help an individual adjust to a variety of work settings. Our Workplace to Success Internship Program is designed to help transition the information presented in the classroom to a real-life setting in a workplace.

Workplace to Success Internship Program

STEP’s Internship program helps job-seekers explore, prepare for, and become successful at a job of their choice through training opportunities and education, partnering with community businesses. These workplace internships permit members to experience what working in a variety of settings, including Custodial, Housekeeping, Food Service, Day Care and more. As our Workplace To Success paid internship program continues to develop new partnerships with local companies, we have seen many successful outcomes in increased employment opportunities, both from our host sites and in related businesses.

Employment Partners

Many of the successes that members achieve are due in large part to our highly dedicated and supportive business partners. These partners employ members, participate in job development activities such as interview practice and work trials, serve as one of our host sites for our Workplace to Success Internship Program, and serve as advocates and ambassadors to help promote the employment of individuals with a disability.

Our Employment Partners include: Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, DTE, Henry Ford Village, Staybridge Suites, Kroger, Comerica Park, Bundled, The Glass Academy, Harbor Lanes Bowling Center, Rowerdink, Inc., Joe Randazzos Market, Corewell Health, and many, many more.

Environmental Services Work Crews

Services To Enhance Potential currently has over 30 sites where members with a disability provide Custodial Services. These Environmental Services Work Crews employ over 60 members who are earning above minimum wage. The on-the-job training that each member receives is extremely valuable to their long term success. Many of the members who have worked in an Environmental Work Crew have gone on to work in the janitorial field.

Services To Enhance Potential contracts with many local, state and federal sites for Environmental/ Custodial services. These services provide paid, on-the-job type training for those seeking to work in this field.

Thrift Store and Donation Centers

Services to Enhance Potential operates three Thrift Stores to provide paid job training in retail and related fields. Opportunities at the stores include work trials, paid work internships, worksite evaluations, and longer term employment as Retail Clerks. Each of these opportunities are designed specifically to provide the level of experience and training necessary for success, and lead to employment.

Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

Services To Enhance Potential values its relationship with State Vocational Rehabilitation services, including Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP). Our services include job placement, job coaching, job shadowing, customized employment, work based learning experiences, follow along services, pre-employment transition services, and a variety of community-based training services.

Micro-Enterprises

Services To Enhance Potential appreciates the entrepreneur in everyone, including those with a disability. To help promote and support members who have a desire to develop opportunities to work for themselves, a fund has been created to provide no-interest loans to individuals. Throughout its existence, thousands of dollars have been provided to members who have created successful micro-enterprises. A number of our entrepreneurs have micro-enterprises and participate in a variety of community events, including farm markets, art fairs, and other events.