At Pleasanton Adults Career Education, the Adults with Disabilities Paid Internship Program (AWD PIP) is about more than job training, according to Laura Martinez, the Adults with Disabilities Transition Specialist for the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD). It is also about empowerment, belonging, and opportunity. Through AWD PIP, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities participate in part-time paid, hands-on workplace internships and receive coaching for competitive, integrated employment. The program pays the intern’s wages.

“Over nine months, each intern completes three different rotations, working side by side with an Employment Training Specialist, workplace mentors, and coworkers,” says Martinez. “The support is personal and tailored. Every day, interns learn work skills that go beyond tasks such as communication, adaptability, problem-solving, self-advocacy, teamwork, and time management. By graduation, they leave with resumes, references, and real skills that serve them for a lifetime.”

Initially, only two employers, PUSD and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, were involved in the program. That number has expanded over the years. Martinez is eager to welcome more businesses into the program, but growth can be challenging given the outdated stereotypes some employers have about the interns.

“When people hear the phrase ‘adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities,’ it can paint an inaccurate picture,” Martinez notes. “While we do support individuals with a range of abilities, some of them have college degrees. Right now, we have four interns with BAs and two currently in college.”

Employers often unknowingly limit the benefits that interns can offer by defining intern roles narrowly. At one company, for example, the first intern assembled packages and copied and scanned documents only. In addition to those duties, this year’s intern is also creating spreadsheets and doing data entry. Employers may also have security or safety concerns, issues that the AWD PIP team can resolve.

“We do not simply place interns in businesses; we create partnerships where they can shine,” says Martinez. “When interns step into a workplace, they are not just filling a spot, they are contributing to a team. Our interns thrive because they are supported by a community, schools, families, businesses, and neighbors, all working together. Our success stories bring the numbers to life. We have six interns who are celebrating a full year at several businesses, which include PUSD, Costco, and Richert Lumber Ace Hardware.”

An outsider might be surprised by how much these interns influence the businesses they join, according to Martinez. “Employers often expect support, but what they discover is transformation. Interns strengthen teamwork, boost morale, and create more inclusive, compassionate workplaces. Many business partners tell us that having an intern has changed the way their entire staff approaches work. Our interns arrive eager to learn, and they leave showing others what’s possible.”

The AWD PIP team wants to expand into industries with both strong intern interest and real community need. Those industries include technology, tech support, hospitality, manufacturing, and grocery retail. Since the program began in 2018, 82 adults with disabilities have participated. Of those, 23 have secured part-time employment, three went on to full-time employment, and four were offered jobs but chose other paths that better fit their goals, Martinez notes. Currently, 15 interns are enrolled in this program year, which began September 3, 2025.

“Each intern story is a reminder of why this program matters,” Martinez adds. “It is not just about jobs. It is about dignity, purpose, and futures filled with possibility. We want businesses to know that even if they are not ready to hire or host an intern, they can still make a difference. Hosting mock interviews, offering job shadowing, or simply opening doors for workplace tours all create opportunities for growth and we’re always looking for employers ready to interview and hire our interns. Each of these connections helps our interns practice real-world skills while showing businesses the untapped talent in their own community.”

For more information about the Adults with Disabilities Paid Internship Program, please visit www.adulteducation.pleasantonusd.net/programs/adults-with-disabilities.

Employers interested in more information about the program should visit www.forms.gle/xbzFbDAheGR94mP1A or contact Laura Martinez at lmartinez@pleasantonusd.net or (925) 596-3914.

To view local reporting on one intern success story, please visit www.abc7news.com/post/omron-employees-with-disabilities-national-disability-employment-awareness-pleasanton/13966897.