TUCSON, Ariz. — Students are hammering and sawing away at wood in one of the Tucson Operations team's workshop. They're part of an internship program called Team 7.
TUSD's Team 7 program was created a year and half ago to help students with a disability transition from school into the work force. Students work with experts in the trade field to do work like welding, craftsmanship and computer design.
"The unemployment rates for our disability community is, to me, not acceptable," TUSD Chief Operations Officer John Muir said. "I think what we need to do, as a community, embrace that and try to give them every opportunity that they need and can have to be gainfully employed."
Muir is the brains behind the program. He created it to specifically tailor to trade jobs because he saw a need in the trade industry.
According to the U.S Department of Education there will be 68% more jobs opening in trade, than people filling the positions in the next five years.
Muir is hoping this program is a step in the right direction for the industry in our community.
