‘Tis the season for giving and Securis would like to take a moment to recognize one of our partners. For the past seven years, Securis and Fairfax County’s Work Awareness Transition (WAT) program has been able to provide youth with disabilities a place to learn skills outside of the classroom.

With tremendous help from Sue Collins, Employment and Transition Representative at Chantilly High School, and special education teachers at Chantilly High School, Securis offers technical and career-based training to students with learning disabilities. This award-winning program gives students hands-on experience that encourages development of job skills while learning about the business as a whole.

Andrew Portare, Operations Manager for Securis, meets with some of the students twice a week to cover topics like business etiquette, “how to get hired”, and work ethics. The students also partake in activities ranging from breaking down computers, separating parts, and sorting and cutting wires, to participating in safety, security, and corporate development training. Problem-solving skills are refined by challenging the group to complete designated tasks, like removing specific parts from a computer. In addition, students have gained an in-depth understanding of the electronics recycling industry and the required elements to ensure a business operates smoothly.

We are excited to continue the development of this program to incorporate the interests of the students in a way that cultivates “real-world” experience. Sue Collins and the dedicated team of teachers at Chantilly High have helped us make this program a viable learning opportunity for the youth of our community.