AstraZeneca develops Path to Employment program with local nonprofit group

WILMINGTON, Del. Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca and a local nonprofit group in Wilmington, Del., are combining efforts to teach job skills to students with disabilities, AstraZeneca said Tuesday.

The drug maker and Opportunity Center Inc. will create a program called Path to Employment, which will teach job skills to disabled students in a corporate setting to students in the area. Under a partnership with the local Brandywine School District, OCI has provided comprehensive career exploration to students with significant barriers to employment for the past two years.

The Path to Employment program will include short-term, unpaid assignments with AstraZeneca corporate security, the fitness center, the medical suite and the human resources department. Students will be trained to greet visitors to the corporate campus and help them find their destinations. The program, which will include tours, job shadowing days and mentors, is designed to provide students with a chance to develop social skills required for the workplace.