Career Camp: Spring Break

Magnify’s Career Camp is a program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ages 14-21) that teaches job-readiness skills, allowing participants to explore different career options and gain self-advocacy tools to help them thrive in the workplace. During Spring Break 2023, Career Camp participants attended Loews Hotels Universal Orlando, both in-person and virtually, to learn about hospitality and hotel management.

Every day at Career Camp comes with its own opportunities to learn.  Many students successfully utilized public transportation through Access Lynx to attend camp, and everyone learned how to navigate a large hotel campus.  Classroom instruction provided activities on identifying strengths and interests, employment etiquette, and self-advocacy. On-site tours gave participants a behind-the-scenes look at working in hospitality - from food preparation and banquet management to customer service and pool maintenance, our students saw it all.

Faith, a 16-year-old University High School student, attended Career Camp for the first time this Spring. Faith's mom, Rachelle, reported being “hesitant" to drop off her daughter on the first day of camp, as they are rarely apart, but seeing Faith’s excitement each day gave mom confidence that this place, these people, and this program were great for her daughter.  

According to Rachelle, Career Camp was "a pleasant, positive experience for both her and Faith.”  She has even noticed changes in her daughter since the camp ended, "Faith is more vocal when she was once unsure and shy,” said mom.

Faith’s Career Camp instructors and staff noticed a difference in her too.  Faith entered camp as a quiet, reserved teen, but as the days passed, her excitement grew, and by the end of camp, Faith was smiling for photos and chatting with her peers - an inspiring sight to behold.