Tessera Summer Academy
Tessera Summer Academy equips students with disabilities with the training and hands-on experience needed to prepare them for employment. Students will explore career paths, learn workplace readiness and self-advocacy skills, and tour local businesses. By combining education with real-world exposure, the Tessera Summer Academy empowers students to take their first steps toward a successful future.
Tessera Summer Academy Registration
Tessera Summer Academy: Tools for the Trades is an exciting FREE opportunity to learn, train, and connect with real-world employers in skilled trades fields.
Hands-on Safety Training – Learn essential workplace safety skills for trades vocations.
Soft Skills Training – Boost your communication, teamwork, problem‑solving, and workplace readiness skills with interactive, game‑based activities.
Job Tours – Visit local trades facilities to see trades careers in action.
Receive Training Based on OSHA-Recognized Standards
First Aid Certification – Opportunity to earn Adult First Aid certification.
Community Volunteer Experience – Contribute to a local project while gaining hands-on experience and strengthening teamwork skills.
PAID Internship Opportunity – Students ages 18–22 who complete the full program are eligible to apply for a 40-hour paid summer internship, which begins after the Summer Academy workshops are completed. July 27th – August 14th.
Summer Academy Dates: July 6th – July 24th, Mon-Thurs, 8:30am-12pm
Location: Tessera Bremerton Office
Tessera Summer Academy: Game On is an exciting FREE opportunity to learn, train, and connect with real-world employers while developing essential workplace skills.
Food Worker Card – Earn your Washington State Food Worker Card—an essential credential you can use for future employment.
Soft Skills Training – Boost your communication, teamwork, problem‑solving, and workplace readiness skills with interactive, game‑based activities.
Job Tours – Visit local businesses to explore different careers and see what real workplaces look like behind the scenes.
First Aid Certification – Opportunity to earn Adult First Aid certification.
OSHA Housekeeping Training – Learn essential workplace safety and housekeeping practices to help keep any workspace clean, safe, and hazard‑free.
PAID Internship Opportunity – Students ages 18–22 who complete the full program are eligible to apply for a 40-hour paid summer internship, which begins after the Summer Academy workshops are completed. July 27th – August 21st.
Summer Academy Dates: July 6th – July 21st , Mon-Thurs, 9am-12pm and job site tours on Fridays
Location: Tessera Spokane Office
Why Choose Tessera Summer Academy?
- Career Exploration
Discover potential career paths that align with your interests and abilities.
- Skills Development
Build essential skills to prepare for long-term success in the workplace.
- Community Integration
Gain the confidence and tools to thrive both professionally and personally.
- Paid Summer Internships
Real world work experience through paid employment.
Eligibility Requirements
Ages
- 14-22 years old
Enrollment:
- Be a student enrolled in a local high school, or a recent 2025 graduate
- Have an IEP, 504 Plan, or documented disability
- Complete or have already completed a DVR Pre-Employment Transition Services Approval consent form
- Be able to independently self-manage personal needs/behaviors in a group learning environment
- Show motivation and willingness to participate in meaningful employment experiences.
Transportation:
- Have reliable transportation to and from Tessera office and local job tour sites.
- Transportation Assistance is available through local public transportation services.
Independence:
- Safely navigate a workplace setting independently.
- Demonstrate self-motivation, responsibility, and stability.
- Manage personal care and medication without assistance.