The goals of the Career Exploration Program are to develop career awareness, establish good work habits, identify work interests, develop relationship skills and learn specific work skills. Students generally spend two half-days per week at a job site and may rotate to a different site every nine weeks. Job sites are selected to provide a variety of working environments. An ongoing vocational evaluation is carried out as students move from one site to another. Students who participate in these vocational experiences must be at least 14 years old and enrolled:

a) full time at Heartwood School or
b) half-time, with the remainder of the student's program in the local school district, or
c) less than half-time (usually participating only in CBI, community-based instruction)

Assessment of student achievement in work placements is accomplished by combination of structured observations and checklists. An ongoing vocational evaluation is carried out as students move through a variety of work environments.

• Michigan State University Recycling, Stores, Laundry
• Mitchells Department Store
• American Cancer Society
• Oak Park Y
• Meridian Mall Cafeteria
• Felpausch Food Stores
• Area Churches
• A & W
• Keans Hallmark
• Preuss Animal House
• Pizza Hut
• Ace Hardware