Job Training: Earning a Paycheck, Building Self-Esteem, Contributing to Society

At Marbridge, we put great emphasis on each resident making a personal contribution to his or her quality of life and enjoying the satisfaction of suitable and meaningful employment, if they if they are capable. Like many people, our residents are greatly motivated by the idea of receiving a paycheck and being part of a productive team.

Training to Work

As part of our Abilities Centered Training (ACT), pre-employment training focuses first on preparing for employment, whether on- or off-campus.

Pre-employment training includes:

  • appropriate grooming for the workplace
  • task completion
  • dependability
  • social skills
  • behavior
  • timeliness
  • responsibility
  • job-specific skills
  • interviewing techniques

Community employment training helps residents find and maintain suitable employment in the Austin area.

Community employment training includes:

  • Resume preparation
  • Job-finding techniques (networking, using classified advertisements, seeking agency support, and personal referrals)
  • Job-seeking skills (completing employment applications and improving interviewing skills)
  • Job-maintaining skills (appropriate workplace behavior and attire, using public transportation)
  • Appropriate communications with co-workers and supervisors
  • Demonstrating dependability, reliability, and accountability
  • Accepting additional responsibility

Finding and Keeping a Job

Our Resident Employment Coordinator helps residents define and locate available work opportunities, aids the training team in assessing each resident's work skill qualifications, and accompanies residents capable of working to find suitable employment on- or off-campus.

Once a resident has found a position, the Resident Employment Coordinator maintains contact with the resident's employer to monitor work performance, avoid or resolve conflicts, and redirect behaviors that could result in termination of employment. The Resident Employment Coordinator also seeks additional upgraded work opportunities for residents who have improved their qualifications and skills.

On-campus Employment

As part of ACT, Marbridge uses on-the-job training opportunities extensively in multiple on-campus work sites. On-campus work training helps residents prepare for competitive community employment, develop job skills, and practice appropriate behaviors necessary for finding and maintaining employment in the community.

On campus, residents work in the commercial laundry, landscaping, grounds maintenance, caring for livestock, housekeeping in the dormitories and apartments, assisting in food preparation in the kitchens, and cleaning the dining rooms.

Off-campus Employment

Residents work off-campus in supermarkets, at Austin’s international airport, at the University of Texas, at local country clubs and hotels, assembling high-tech equipment at Austin businesses, performing clerical and custodial work, and in restaurants. Marbridge carefully selects off-campus work opportunities to match residents’ capabilities with the right work environment. This ensures that residents can best apply their knowledge, skills, and experience to be successful.

Transportation is provided to and from off-campus work locations or when capable, residents use the Capital Metro public transportation.