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Having completed her
high school work-study job in an adult school office,
Rosa was ready to graduate. She attended a career
day at Fairfax High School, where she met Vanessa
Ronquillo, an Employer Representative from the Marriott
Foundation Bridges program. The two discussed jobs,
and Vanessa shared with Rosa information on a program
that not only could prepare Rosa for employment,
but also could help her attend college-goals she
had only dreamed of achieving. Rosa was familiar
with the Marriott name, so she took Vanessa’s
card, thinking that Vanessa might be able to help
her find a job working in a hotel.
Rosa had not expected that medical difficulties
would prevent her from attending college. She spent
months recuperating in the hospital, and shortly
thereafter learned that she would not be eligible
for medical benefits under her mother’s insurance.
She knew that without insurance she would be unable
to afford the necessary medical care. Not sure what
to do, Rosa recalled the conversation she had had
with Vanessa nearly eight months ago, and flipped
through her paperwork looking for the business card
--“I just had a feeling she could help me.”
She called Vanessa, who promptly enrolled her in
the WIA OneSource program through Marriott. Rosa
participated in the Marriott Bridges program for
a while before she mentioned her financial difficulties.
Vanessa, sensing the urgency, immediately began
looking for a solution to Rosa’s problem.
Within a week, Vanessa had developed a solution
to the medical care issue, which allowed Rosa to
focus on developing her own path to success. With
Vanessa’s help, she enrolled in college and
started filling out job applications. She was soon
hired as a ticket taker for Dodger Stadium.
When asked if she would have been able to find work
without Marriott’s OneSource program, Rosa
replies, “Yes, but it wouldn’t be the
same.” Rosa says that before working with
Vanessa she would worry that potential employers
would have sympathy for her medical situation and
would not focus on her abilities. Rosa believes
that her network of potential employers would have
been limited to the current employers of her family
members. Now, however, she believes that her opportunities
are limitless, especially since she has a partner
who can help navigate for resources.
Marriott Bridges made Rosa aware of her rights as
a worker and made her feel she was a valuable job
candidate because of who she is. “That’s
a good feeling,” says Rosa.
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