The Transition Alliance Program (TAP) at Benton Community helps connect students with disabilities to the resources and support they need to successfully transition to life after high school. A major focus of the program is career exploration and helping students identify employment paths that align with their interests, strengths, and goals.
One valuable way students explore career options is through job shadows and internships. A job shadow is a one-day learning experience that connects students with a business or industry of interest. During the experience, students learn about available careers, required education or training, daily job responsibilities, and workplace expectations. Internships provide a more in-depth, hands-on experience, typically allowing students to spend around 40 hours working alongside professionals in a career field they are interested in pursuing.
Benton Community has developed a strong partnership with Kirkwood Community College’s Workplace Learning Connection to help students access job shadow and internship opportunities. For some students with disabilities, barriers such as transportation, completing applications, or navigating workplace expectations can make participation more difficult. TAP support at the high school level has helped students overcome these challenges and successfully engage in meaningful career exploration experiences. Providing accessible, real-world career experiences is essential because seeing a career in action can have a far greater impact than simply researching it online.
During the 2025-26 school year, TAP supported students in completing 33 successful job shadow placements and two internships. These experiences represented 33% of all job shadows and 14% of all internships completed by students at Benton Community. Students explored careers across a wide range of industries, including skilled trades, health and human services, STEM, business, information technology, agriculture and natural resources, and more!