Youth Pre-Employment Specialist

About the Role

Bridges from School to Work is recognized by leaders in education, government, and business as a fundamental resource for helping young adults with disabilities transition from school to the competitive workplace. Established by the Marriott family, Bridges operates in ten major cities across the United States, serving young adults who often face barriers to employment. The program’s mission is to transform the lives of youth with disabilities through the power of a job.

The Youth Pre-Employment Specialist will be part of a team responsible for the implementation and service delivery of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and will report to the Director of the local Bridges office. This role focuses on increasing student awareness of the world of work, their own employment interests, skills, and needs; providing exposure to work experiences; and preparing students for employment and postsecondary success. The work complements Bridges’ traditional youth transition services, which assist youth with direct job placement into competitive employment and long-term follow-up.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the site Director and Pre-ETS team to ensure the Bridges Pre-ETS model is properly implemented in required schools and is responsive to student needs.
• Introduce the Bridges Pre-ETS model to schools, community partners, youth, and their families under the guidance of the site Director.
• Engage with the local business community to generate meaningful partnerships in collaboration with the Director and Bridges team members.
• Work closely with local vocational rehabilitation offices to ensure satisfactory service delivery, program compliance, and contractual obligations.
• Conduct student intakes, communicate with families and stakeholders, and develop individualized student service plans.
• Plan, create, coordinate, schedule, and deliver service plans, including skills workshops, information sessions led by industry experts, job shadowing opportunities, worksite tours, mock interviews, and other work-based learning experiences.
• Collect and maintain student eligibility and enrollment information; accurately track and report monthly student outcome data for billing and compliance purposes.
• Administer the Bridges Pre-ETS model covering five key areas: Job-Exploration Counseling; Work-Based Learning Experiences; Workplace Readiness Training; Self-Advocacy & Peer Mentoring; and Counseling on Post-Secondary Education & Training Opportunities.

Requirements

• Four-year college degree or equivalent in qualifying work experience.
• Formal training and/or significant experience in at least two of the following areas:
  • Work with students with disabilities;
  • School-to-work transition;
  • Job development, employment support, or case management;
  • Education, teaching, or counseling, including in a special education setting;
  • Educational/learning theory and/or instructional design and delivery;
  • Youth mentoring or counseling in education or human services;
  • Networking and creating partnerships, especially within a school or employment setting.

Skills

• Experience with curriculum design and delivery, including:
  • Room management;
  • Creating learning objectives and lesson plans;
  • Teaching and adapting instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners;
  • Differentiated instruction.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills; attention to detail is essential.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including:
  • Ability to relate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders;
  • Ability to build, facilitate, and participate in collaboration between diverse groups;
  • Ability to effectively interpret and address the needs of diverse constituents.
• Self-starter who takes initiative and follows through on tasks to completion.
• Ability to work well under pressure, adapt to changing workload priorities, and manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision.
• Positive, can-do attitude; professional demeanor; strong customer service orientation; excellent judgment and discretion; diligence, dependability, and strong work ethic.
• Computer skills, including basic to intermediate competence with Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to maintain security and confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Valid driver’s license and required insurance level (if driving is preferred over public transportation).
• Bilingual ability is a plus, with Spanish being a major advantage.

Benefits

Bridges offers a comprehensive benefits package. For more details, visit the careers page.