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Williamson County launches first Project SEARCH site at Embassy Suites
Summary
Williamson County staff and students marked the signing of the county’s first Project SEARCH site at Embassy Suites, an immersive internship program for students in the transition-to-community program that will place students in classes at the hotel and 5–6 hour mentored internships in hospitality, banqueting and housekeeping.
At a signing event at the Embassy Suites, Williamson County staff and students launched the county’s first Project SEARCH site, an immersive internship program for students in the county’s transition-to-community program.
Organizers described Project SEARCH as a full-day program that combines on-site classes at the hotel with mentored internships. “Project Search is a fully immersive internship program for our students that are in our transition to community based program,” a staff member said, explaining that students will take classes at the Embassy Suites and then be in internships of “5 to 6 hours working alongside a mentor here at the Embassy.”
A staff member framed the signing as a milestone for participants, likening it to a professional ceremony: “It’s kind of, to me, like a white coat ceremony,” the staff member said, and added that she was “proud of you guys for making the commitment to something new next year.”
Program organizers said the main internship tracks are hospitality, banqueting and housekeeping, with each track containing two to three smaller internship roles students can build into. A student described the kinds of hands-on tasks interns are likely to perform—“Probably just some silverware and towel stuff. Probably doing laundry…”—illustrating the practical work elements of the placements.
Students who attended introduced themselves and described current or past work experience. “My name is Drew Torrance, and I am so excited that I got that I got to be in working at the NBC suites,” one student said. Other students named jobs at a coffee house, Publix and Goodwill, and described tasks such as cleaning and bagging, delivering packages and caring for animals.
Organizers and participants emphasized the program’s broader goals: opening employment pathways and promoting inclusive work opportunities. “It’s also going to promote an inclusive work opportunities… it’s gonna showcase that everybody can work,” a staff member said.
Students also shared social and developmental highlights from related transition activities—hosting a game show, performing reader’s theater about the Declaration of Independence and organizing a celebratory event—saying the experiences felt special and helped build confidence and teamwork.
The transcript does not specify a date for the signing; organizers in the record are identified as staff members rather than by formal titles. Organizers said the Project SEARCH site will begin next year and expressed interest in expanding opportunities beyond the initial host site at the Embassy Suites.
