For schools, VR agencies & community orgs

Expand employment outcomes for the students you serve.

Established by the Marriott family in 1989. 23,900+ careers launched across 12 U.S. cities.

Bridges embeds Youth Employment Specialists in schools, VR agencies, and community organizations. We handle career readiness, employer matching, and 12 months of post-placement support.

We deliver Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) under WIOA Title IV and partner with state vocational rehabilitation agencies on referrals and placement.

Your district pays nothing. Your students get real jobs.

A Bridges Representative working one-on-one with a student at a classroom desk

Through 2024, 76% of Bridges placements were still working at 90 days (over the past decade, 20152024).

Built with the schools, VR agencies, and community partners in our network, over 37 years.

31,895+

Young Adults Served

23,993+

Hired in Real Jobs

1,122

School Partners

Who partners with Bridges, and what they get.

Bridges is built to fit into your existing work, not add to it.

Schools and districts

We embed Youth Employment Specialists in schools to identify students who can benefit from career readiness and employment support, working alongside transition coordinators and special education teams.

Current partners include: Chicago Public Schools, School District of Philadelphia, San Francisco Unified, and additional districts in our network

HQ ReviewDo we have district-wide MOUs with CPS, School District of Philadelphia, and SFUSD, or are these just districts where we have member schools? Need before launch.
  • YES embedded at no cost. Youth Employment Specialists work in your school. Your district pays nothing.
  • IEP-aligned readiness. Career readiness for transition-age students that complements existing IEP goals.
  • Reportable outcomes. Employment placements documented in formats compatible with state and federal reporting.

State vocational rehabilitation agencies

We partner with state VR agencies to deliver Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and connect young adults to competitive integrated employment.

Current partners include: Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), California Department of Rehabilitation, Texas Workforce Commission

HQ ReviewAre GVRA, California Department of Rehabilitation, and Texas Workforce Commission active VR contracts? Naming these could be an issue - need to confirm before launch.
  • Pre-ETS delivery. Documented Pre-Employment Transition Services with state-compatible reporting cadence.
  • Competitive integrated employment. Real placements in your service area, not sheltered or simulated work.
  • Local staff who know your systems. Bridges teams already trained on your case-management workflow and federal VR requirements.

Community organizations

Nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and community groups refer young adults and collaborate on events, job fairs, and workforce initiatives.

Current partners include: Faith-based organizations, youth-serving nonprofits, and workforce coalitions across the Bridges network

  • Trusted referral pathway. A dedicated local team for the young adults you serve.
  • Joint programming. Co-hosted job fairs, workshops, and workforce events with shared promotion.
  • Outcome data for your reporting. Shared placement and retention numbers strengthen your grant narratives.

What employers say about hiring through Bridges.

Workplace leaders, in their own words. The proof your referrals will end up in real jobs.

He's a great young man and a welcome addition to our team.

Keishia Walker

General Manager, Sodexo Magic

Give me ten more like Rhys!

Jewel-Osco store manager

Jewel-Osco

Pedro is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is so sweet and kind and loves learning new culinary techniques. He even helps us recruit and has referred multiple people to apply for our openings.

Bllanca Barbosa

Human Resources Manager, Dallas Renaissance Hotel

12 cities nationwide

Bridges Locations

View all cities

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Teal pins = Bridges program offices (orange when selected). Purple dots = partner school locations (zoom in to see them). Rings = approximate service radius around each office.

Become a partner.

For schools, VR agencies, and community organizations in the 12 cities Bridges serves.

1

Intro conversation

A 30-minute call with our partnerships team. We learn about the young adults you serve, your goals, and where Bridges can add value.

2

Scope and agreement

We define roles, data-sharing, reporting cadence, and any service agreements, tailored to your organization's needs.

3

Launch

Your dedicated Youth Employment Specialist begins working with students or clients in your city. Outcomes tracked from day one.

Not in one of our 12 cities? We’re always interested in hearing about new communities. Bridges expansion takes committed funding and local staffing capacity, but the conversation has to start somewhere. Tell us about yours.

Refer a young adult.

Ages 17–26, documented disability, interested in work. They start with the Interest Form; a Youth Employment Specialist follows up within 3–5 business days. No formal partnership required.

Open the Interest Form

Become a formal partner if you want embedded YES staff and reporting aligned to your district or agency.

Talk to the Bridges team in your city.

Whether you're a school, agency, or community organization, tell us how we can support your mission.