Creative Jobs Story Bank: Will's Story

Will works as a coffee salesman at Rosedale School. He has been working there for about 10 years. He started his job as a part of supported employment with Austin ISD during his last year of school. In the beginning, the supported employment staff helped by doing his job with him for the first three months. While at work he is helped by his attendant. The attendant’s work is paid for by the CLASS program. He also gets a ride to work.

Will sells coffee from 9 to 10 every Wednesday. He sets up a table in the hallway. Then his shop is opened by the school secretary.

As a worker, his job is to pump coffee into paper cups for staff to buy and have cream and sugar for customers. During colder months, they also have a choice of hot water and hot chocolate mix. He gets paid by the cup of coffee. He had to learn how to pour coffee from the container and take money from customers to do his job. Every day at work he sees his attendant and the staff who buy coffee. It’s a lot of fun because people tell him the coffee is great. He likes when people say thank you. Sometimes there’s even a hug. The staff likes him, and everyone has a great relationship.

Before he sold coffee, he was bringing food from Jason’s Deli. But he wasn’t getting many orders because it was very expensive. The coffee is cheaper and easier for him to bring to the school.

If you have questions about Will’s job story, you can email rosemary.alexander@txp2p.org.