OK Rehabilitation Services offering summer job help for students this summer

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services wants to help youths with disabilities work over the upcoming summer break.

BEST STEP is a program designed to help with job readiness training and paid summer work experience in June and July.

27 cities across the state are participating in the program, including Lawton and Altus.

BEST STEP is an acronymn for Bulding Employment Skills Today and Summer Transition Employment Program.

During the BEST part of the program, participants go through a one week of pre-employment transition instruction and during the STEP portion eligible students can work up to 25 hours per week for $10 per hour at businesses in their community.

Those salaries are primarily paid for by Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board with the Southern Workforce Board providing funding in certain counties.

Eligible students must be DRS clients or potentially eligible to become clients with a documented disability. They must be at least 16 years old and returning to high school in August 2023.

The deadline to apply for BEST STEP Is March 31. You can email rsansom@okdrs.gov or phone 405-951-3488 or 405-212-7789 for assistance.

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