Working Wardrobes is proud to partner with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) to support career readiness for students across Orange County.

OCDE serves some of Orange County’s most vulnerable student populations and provides support and mandated fiscal oversight to 28 school districts serving more than 600 schools and approximately 450,000 students. In addition to providing direct instruction through its own alternative and special education programs, OCDE offers a wide range of services that support school districts, families, and students.

Through this partnership, Working Wardrobes collaborates with OCDE’s ACCESS program—Alternative, Community, and Correctional Education Schools and Services—to deliver Career Success Week, a week-long workshop series designed to support career preparation and align with ACCESS 2030 goals for career readiness.

During the 2025–26 school year, Career Success Week was facilitated five times across OCDE ACCESS school sites, with a total of 73 students successfully completing the program.

Throughout the five-day experience, students participated in career preparation workshops focused on building confidence, identifying hard and soft skills, developing elevator pitches, and practicing interview techniques. Students also learned foundational workplace skills such as creating a personal signature, writing professional thank-you notes, and identifying trusted adults at their school sites to serve as references for future jobs.

The program’s impact was reflected in post-event student surveys. Results from 55 respondents showed an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5, with students reporting increased confidence, improved communication skills, and greater preparedness for employment.

As one student shared, “I’m very happy I got the opportunity to do all these activities. I am more confident in myself.” Another noted, “I learned that I already have traits that make me a valuable worker.”

Career Success Week continues to play a role in preparing ACCESS students for success beyond the classroom.