{"id":295487,"date":"2025-10-11T20:05:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/295487\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T20:05:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:05:02","slug":"utsa-program-offers-job-training-for-people-with-autism-disabilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/295487\/","title":{"rendered":"UTSA program offers job training for people with autism, disabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

White tablecloths, flower arrangements, polished dining trays and servers filling plates and carrying drinks around the room \u2014 the things that filled the ZerNona Black Multigenerational Community Center could have been laid out for a black tie dinner.<\/p>\n

That was the idea.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, staff from a new University of Texas at San Antonio program worked with trainees on food service and catering skills, giving participants an opportunity to get free, hands-on training with the basic components of those jobs.<\/p>\n

Employ 210<\/a> is a grant-based program run by UT San Antonio researchers that partners with local businesses to create job training for people with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s open to a broad definition of disability. It could be autism, neurodevelopmental disabilities, ADHD, a learning disability,\u201d said John Davis, an associate dean professor at UT San Antonio and Employ 210\u2019s project director. \u201cIndividuals with autism are unemployed or underemployed at a rate that\u2019s higher than any other disability.\u201d<\/p>\n

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That rate is 50%, according to a UT San Antonio officials, much higher than the 4.4% unemployment rate<\/a> for the San Antonio area in August.<\/p>\n

Employ 210 creates specialized job training blueprints by working with employers and breaking their work down into specific tasks. The goal is to have training that prepares people for not just a general occupation, but the very granular components of a job for a specific employer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not training for a bus boy,\u201d Davis said. \u201cWe\u2019re training for the tasks that a bus boy does.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Wednesday\u2019s event, that included ironing and folding napkins, arranging flowers, serving drinks and a host of other tasks that participants could rotate between and try out with trained staff from Employ 210.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\"\"Employ 210 participants demonstrate food service tasks like beverage serving techniques during a job experience event for neurodiverse individuals at the ZerNona Black Multigenerational Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\u201cEach of these stations represent a position they would be hiring for,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a broad taste of the industry, he said. Participants who enjoy the experience or want to pursue a job can get more in-depth experience. Employ 210 then refers trainees to job applications and provides on-the-job support.<\/p>\n

Davis said they don\u2019t require or expect employers to hire trainees, their goal is to teach competitive workers and support them in getting the job. Employ 210 is in its first year of a five-year grant. It has created 29 different job blueprints, taught 30 successful trainees and helped 12 people get hired.<\/p>\n

Ruby Edwards, one of the participants, said she had an opportunity to lay out tables and chairs, learn complicated napkin folding and work on flower arrangements. It was like working in a restaurant, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been great, I like the experience, figuring out what restaurants are like,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Edwards enjoyed the flower arranging, in particular, she said. It was an opportunity to practice something artistic.<\/p>\n

Davis said Employ 210 built the job blueprints by partnering with local employers, discussing about their hiring needs, shadowing those employees and then breaking down those jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe start with the employers\u2019 needs and open positions they identify within their organizations,\u201d Davis said. \u201cOnce they identify the positions, we do the shadowing.\u201d<\/p>\n

For this week\u2019s training, Employ 210 partnered with the RK Group, a catering and event company based in San Antonio that employs more than 800 people across multiple states.<\/p>\n

Jacqueline Beiberich, the company\u2019s human resources director, said the RK Group had wanted to get involved in the community and is impressed. \u201cThey had all the right questions that made it easy to fit the program,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Rene Lopez, the RK Group\u2019s director of catering, noted the trainees\u2019 work and attention to detail on Wednesday. He added that catering services provided opportunities for entry level and experienced workers alike. <\/p>\n

One benefit of having such a granular training process was that Employ 210 and the RK Group could train workers to fit the company\u2019s specific needs and requirements.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re definitely impressed in how they\u2019ve progressed and how they can advance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Employ 210 participant Amanda Brown listens to instructions from staff during a job experience event for neurodiverse individuals at the ZerNona Black Multigenerational Community Center on Wednesday. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

The company often has part-time seasonal needs, he said, based on when events and food services are in demand.<\/p>\n

Davis said finding local businesses to work with is always a critical need. Much of Employ 210\u2019s work is around building those relationships. \u201cOur bottleneck at this point is open positions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Local officials are hoping the program expands. State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) attended Wednesday\u2019s training. She saw it as a chance for disabled community members to learn, grow and access more opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I want to be able to see is after the training, they get jobs,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce they learn, once they get that training, they get that job, that\u2019s what makes it a win-win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gervin-Hawkins wants to see the program grow, particularly in urban communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cBringing things to the inner city is so critical,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen we can bring these types of programs to the city, that\u2019s when we\u2019re meeting the greatest need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyone interested in Employ 210 can fill out an interest form<\/a> on the organization\u2019s website<\/a> or email it at employ210@gmail.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Employ 210 was not the only resource for people with disabilities who want to pursue job training in San Antonio.\u00a0Other local resources include: Morgan\u2019s Multi-Assistance Center has its Workforce Inclusion Network<\/a>, SA Life Academy<\/a> and Mission Road\u2019s Unicorn Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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