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PASSAGE USA Student Employment

  • Passage USA Student serving hotdogs to customers.
  • Passage USA Student picking up clothes at Goodwill.
  • Passage USA Student using a video camera in the Mitchell Center.
  • Passage USA Student parking a golf cart at Robert Trent Jones golf course.
  • Passage USA Student separating food at Community Missions at Tillman's Corner.
  • Passage USA Student with a video camera on gameday inside Hancock-Whitney Stadium.
  • Passage USA Student serving food to USA students at the school cafeteria.

PASSAGE USA Internships

Part of the PASSAGE USA curriculum involves the development of work skills. During the first two semesters, we place our students in on-campus internships, while for the remaining semesters we place our students in off-campus internships and/or jobs. Between the practical experience of working and more traditional classroom instruction, PASSAGE USA students improve their employability skills as well as earn a paycheck.

▼   PASSAGE USA Benefits to Employers
  • Students receive one-on-one support from peer mentors and the employment team staff.
  • Students receive on-the-job training as well as off-the-job training to work on employability skills.
  • One-on-one supports for students are provided as long as needed and until all parties agree that the student is ready to work independently.
  • PASSAGE USA provides educational/training opportunities on disability awareness for the jobsite.
  • Employers of PASSAGE USA students may be eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
  • Businesses receive media and advertisement through social media pictures.
  • Having an employee with a disability brings diversity to a workplace.

Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities

If you are interested in becoming a community partner, please contact kcrabtree@southalabama.edu or dgmiller@southalabama.edu or call (251) 380-2877 or (251) 380-2750.

▼   Common Myths about Hiring People with Disabilities

Myth: Employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities.
Fact: People with disabilities are reliable employees and have an overall higher job retention rate.

Myth: Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
Fact: Employees with disabilities are less likely to get into work-related accidents.

Myth: Considerable expense is necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities.
Fact: Businesses that hire people with disabilities may receive tax credits or other incentives.

Myth: People with disabilities are unable to meet performance standards, thus making them a bad employment risk.
Fact: Workers with disabilities are as capable as anyone else and will increase diversity in the workplace.

Popular Myths about Workers with Disabilities Debunked

 

This project is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post- Secondary Education Grant # P407A150076 and P407A200064.