Bridges Oakland
CA · Since 2010
The Oakland Bridges program began in 2010. Bridges serves young adults with barriers to employment ages 17-26 throughout the Oakland metro area with career preparation, job placement, and retention support.
1,031
Young adults served since 2010
960
Placements since 2010
78%
90-day retention (2025)
543+
Employer partners
51
Schools served
About this program
Bridges Oakland serves young adults ages 17 to 26 with barriers to employment across the Oakland metro area. The program partners with Oakland Unified School District to identify students who can benefit from career readiness support and to coordinate transition planning with school staff.
Founded in 2010, Bridges Oakland builds on the broader Bay Area Bridges presence to deliver career preparation, job placement, and a year of follow-along support to young adults across the Oakland metro area. The program operates in coordination with Bridges Richmond and Bridges San Francisco to extend the network's reach across the East Bay.
Bridges Oakland partners with the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) and other local funders to support career preparation, placement, and on-the-job follow-along for young adults across the East Bay.
Like every Bridges site, the Oakland program is free for participants and their families. A Youth Employment Specialist works one-on-one with each young adult to identify career goals, develop interviewing skills, connect with employers, create a résumé, apply for jobs, get a job, and succeed in a job. After a placement, the same specialist supports the new hire through the first year of employment, coordinating with the employer's HR team and following up at 30, 60, and 90-day milestones. The program is funded through grants, donations, and corporate giving. There is no tuition, and no fee to the employer.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Contact the Oakland team using the information below to start a conversation.
The Oakland network
Who we work with in Oakland.
Employers hiring our participants
Local partners and districts
- Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY)
Smith CT
51
schools in the Oakland service area.
View all 51 schools →Hide list ↑
Oakland High School
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Technical High School
Oakland Unified School District
Skyline High School
Oakland Unified School District
Rudsdale High School
Oakland Unified School District
Bay Hill High School
Oakland Unified School District
Castlemont High School
Oakland Unified School District
Life Academy High School of Health and Bioscience
Oakland Unified School District
Sojourner Truth Independent Study School
Oakland Unified School District
Five Keys Independence High School
Oakland Unified School District
Fremont Federation High School
Oakland Unified School District
Golden State College Prep Academy
Oakland Unified School District
MetWest High School
Oakland Unified School District
Ralph J. Bunche Academy
Oakland Unified School District
Arise High School
Oakland Unified School District
Gateway to College High at Laney College
Oakland Unified School District
Alameda High School
Alameda Unified School District Adult Transition Program
Bay Area Technology School
Berkeley High School
Berkeley Technology Academy
Bridge Academy Community School
Btech Academy
Butler Academy
CIP - Laney College
Coliseum College Prep Academy
Dewey Academy
East Bay Innovation Academy (EBIA)
Encinal Junior & Senior High School
Envision Academy
Fusion Academy
Hayward Adult School
Ida B. Wells High School
James Baldwin Academy at Seneca
Lodestad
LPS High School
McClymonds High School
Merrill F. West
Merritt College
Monta Vista High School
Oakland High School
Pittsburg High School
Royal Sunset High School
San Leandro High School
San Lorenzo High School
Seneca Center
Sequoia High School
Street Academy Alternative School
Summit Tahoma School
The Phillips Academy
The Springstone School
West County Community High School
Meet the team
Working alongside young adults and employers in Oakland.
Specialists & support team
Andrew Selby
Youth Employment Specialist II
andrew.selby@bridgestowork.orgLisel Brunson
Senior Youth Employment Specialist
lisel.brunson@bridgestowork.orgMildred Guerra
Administrative Assistant
mildred.guerra@bridgestowork.orgAlso supports Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco
Shannon Gibson
Youth Employment Specialist
shannon.gibson@bridgestowork.orgTheresa Saephanh
Youth Employment Specialist
theresa.saephanh@bridgestowork.orgWill Robinson
Youth Employment Specialist
will.robinson@bridgestowork.org
Office
Common questions
Bridges Oakland, answered.
- Does Bridges from School to Work serve Oakland?
- Yes. Bridges has operated in Oakland since 2010, helping young adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep competitive jobs with local employers.
- Is Bridges Oakland free?
- Yes. Bridges is always free for participants and their families, and there is no fee to employers. The program is funded through grants, donations, and corporate giving.
- Who is eligible for Bridges Oakland?
- Bridges serves young adults with disabilities who are preparing to enter the workforce, including both in-school students and out-of-school job seekers. The quickest way to check eligibility is to start an interest form or take the eligibility quiz on this site.
- How does Bridges Oakland work?
- Bridges follows a Prepare, Place, Support model: one-on-one job-readiness coaching, strength-based matching with local employers, and a dedicated Youth Employment Specialist who stays involved for a full year after a participant is hired.
- What kinds of employers hire through Bridges Oakland?
- Bridges Oakland places young adults with local and national employers across retail, hospitality, food service, healthcare, logistics, and other industries, including Safeway, The Home Depot, Sprouts Farmers Market, UPS, among many others.
- How do I get started with Bridges Oakland?
- Start an interest form on this website, or contact the Oakland team directly using the office details on this page. A Youth Employment Specialist will follow up to talk through next steps.
- Where is the Bridges Oakland office?
- The Bridges Oakland office is located at 2201 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm.
Ready to connect with Bridges Oakland?
Whether you're looking for support, want to hire talent, or are interested in partnering, we'd love to hear from you.