The TEB Cooperative Group has carried out 53 hiring in ordinary companies in the first four months of 2019, 42 of them of people with disabilities. One of them is Alberto Cortés, who at 57 has found work as a maintenance technician at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. He considers it a “small miracle” that has “changed his life”.

Return to the labour market, a priority

Alberto Cortés’ work and personal life took a radical turn in 2015, at the age of 54. As a result of a medical problem, that year he obtained the permanent disability for his hitherto work: 1st air conditioning officer.

Returning to the labor market with a disability became from the beginning his highest priority. Although the first few years were unsuccessful because of the barriers and prejudices of companies, Alberto never gave up or lost his optimism. Neither did he when it came the deterioration of the household economy, which only counted on his disability benefit as income.

In the summer of 2018, an acquaintance told him about the labour insertion services of the TEB Cooperative Group, a collaborating organization of the Incorpora Programme. Alberto did not doubt it. They immediately established their work profile, skills and preferences, and together they embarked on the path towards his labour insertion.

After attending some interviews, Alberto finally got a job a few months later. He did it as a maintenance technician in the Vila Universitaria (student residence) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ​​where he has been working for five months so far.

Capable of anything

Not only has he adapted to tasks easily, but he has experienced a great change at a personal and family level. “After 4 years, as a father I find that now I can pay off debts, and this is a peace of mind, it is everything for me and my family.”

Alberto says that people with disabilities “are people who are worthy, we can do anything”. For that reason, he encourages them to “have patience” and “not to despair” in front of job refusals, because he’s sure someday they will find “the right person”.

Commitment to insertion in ordinary companies

The labour insertion services of the TEB Cooperative Group is open to people at risk of social exclusion who are looking for work. Among others, it offers individualized advice, training for active job search (writing CVs, how to do an interview, job portals on the Internet …), technical-professional training, job board registration, internships and support and follow up on hiring and accompaniment throughout the employment relationship.

The TEB Cooperative Group has renewed in 2019 its adhesion to the Incorpora agreement, together with 70 social organizations of Barcelona’s province of and La Caixa Banking Foundation.

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