It was the merger we have all been waiting for: on a recent Wednesday, our Project Career Launch Students and our Project SEARCH students joined together to participate in a Career Day at Aramark!
Both of our student-to-work transition programs had a packed day at Aramark Headquarters in downtown Philadelphia, where students met with different leaders throughout the company, who shared their first ever job and how it led them to a career at Aramark.
CIS helps run the impactful school-to-work transition programs, Project SEARCH and Project Career Launch, which help high school students with disabilities gain real-world work experience through supportive and engaging internships.
Our students started off the day learning about the history of Aramark, and how it came to be one of the three most competitive food service companies in the world. After, the two groups divided into breakout sessions: One leading with a building tour and the other with a fun activity of making granola!
In one group, our PCL (Project Career Launch) and Project SEARCH students toured the Headquarters and got to peek inside the day in the life of an Aramark employee. Students also attended a quick stretch class in Aramark’s state-of-the-art gym and got to taste some delicious food prepared by Aramark chefs.
The second group had a different path of events and got to make a one-of-a-kind granola bag, and our students and staff loved it!
At the end of the tour and granola making, Project Career Launch and Project SEARCH students had the chance to participate in a question-and-answer session with the CEO of Aramark, Marc Bruno. Marc shared with us how he started off as a dishwasher at 15, and has worked with Aramark for over 30 years.
Students asked great questions, came away with a sense of even more possibility for their future careers, and even found out that Aramark will be the food service company for the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in Philly!
Thank you so much to Aramark for a fun and informative day, and for hosting our students at Aramark headquarters!