“Good job, good job." That was the soft, clear mantra I kept hearing from the row behind me as each young adult was applauded. I was at a celebratory event, recognizing youth with the “Bridges from School to Work” program.
Then the night’s emcee launched into the story of a young man who had challenges in high school, but thrived once he came to the Bridges program and began working at Harris Teeter. Paul secured a job bagging and quickly earned a reputation as a team builder. He also got a nickname because he was always encouraging his colleagues with a “Good job.”
"And now,” said the emcee, “let’s welcome Good Job Paul to the stage.” I turned to see the young man behind me rise from his seat, dressed in a shirt and tie, beaming and confident. In six months, Paul’s role grew to training new baggers and he’s now in training for the seafood department. Great!
It's National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Each year, 250,000 young men and women with disabilities graduate in the U.S. Most won’t get jobs. That’s an unacceptable waste of human opportunity and growth potential.
The National Youth Transitions Collaborative agrees it is critically important for youth with disabilities to get right into the workforce in their Work Early, Work Often campaign.
The Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities, an independent nonprofit, has served 20,000 youth in the past 25 years by helping them prepare and find jobs right after school through its Bridges program. Baltimore is the newest market, the 9th in the U.S. In just two years, the Bridges team has secured jobs for 75 youth with disabilities in Baltimore.
The Bridges staff helps match skills and interests of a young adult with the right job at the right employer. They work with youth to craft a resume and coach them on how to build rapport to get the job, to keep the job.
Each year, 250,000 young men and women with disabilities graduate in the U.S. Most won’t get jobs. That’s an unacceptable waste of human opportunity and growth potential.Bridges youth have successfully landed jobs at my own company and others in the hospitality industry, with large organizations such as Aramark, Pet Smart and UPS and in smaller settings such as doctor’s offices. The paycheck the new hire earns and sense of independence he or she develops has a ripple effect on families and social circles.
In fact, one Bridges student who has been employed for nine years at one of our hotels is now making a small donation from each paycheck to help other Bridges’ youth get their start. A 2015 Bridges honoree asked his parents to receive his honor for him; he is hard at work in his first semester at college and couldn’t travel home. Transformation.
Bridges has set a new goal -- to grow from placing 1,000 youth to 1,500 youth each year.
You’ll hear more from me about this program because it reveals that all of us can – in fact, we must -- build more bridges from school to work for our young people with disabilities.
