Press Release | Office of the Mayor | City of Westland and STEP to Celebrate Workplace to Success Intern Program Partnership

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

City of Westland and STEP to Celebrate Workplace to Success Intern Program Partnership

Westland, MI ( February 13, 2020) - The City of Westland has joined forces with Services to Enhance Potential (STEP) to implement a Workplace to Success Intern Program.

STEP's Supported Employment Services Department works to help individuals with disabilities and other challenges explore, prepare for, and become successful at a job of their choice, through training opportunities, education and outreach with community businesses, and ongoing support. These workplace internships permit individuals to experience what working in a variety of settings, including experience in Custodial, Housekeeping, Food Service, Day Care and more.

Ryan Klotz

In November of 2019, Ryan Klotz began interning with the City of Westland Building Department where his primary focus has been processing building permits. His duties have recently been expanded to support the Finance Department with water billing.

Tracy Kulikowski

Tracy Kulikowski began her internship in December working with the Building Department scanning building plans and electronically organizing files as well as providing additional support to the Human Resources Department.

On Tuesday, February 25 the City of Westland will host a ceremony to celebrate the current and future success of the partnership. The event will take place at 4:00 p.m. in the Gene McKinney Grand Ballroom at Westland City Hall and will include comments from Westland Mayor William R. Wild, President and CEO of STEP, Brent Mikulski and Terey DeLisle, Employment and Training Services Director at STEP.

"The City of Westland is proud to join the growing list of Westland organizations participating in the Workplace to Success Intern Program," commented Wild. "The program allows individuals to prepare for employment opportunities through hands on experience that promote employable work skills and independence. STEP has been an incredible community partner and we are looking forward to achieving even more great things together in the future."

For more information, please call (734) 467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.