As Central Texas graduates consider their next steps, the Goodwill Career & Technical Academy offers a fast-track to skilled trades and healthcare careers.
AUSTIN, Texas — As high school graduation season wraps up across Central Texas, many graduates are preparing to head to college this fall. But for others, a traditional four-year degree isn’t the path they want to take.
The Goodwill Career & Technical Academy (GCTA) in Austin offers another option by helping students earn industry certifications and enter the workforce in as little as six to eight weeks.
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“We think students are realizing that they can get trained and working sooner and start earning an income,” said Alexis Denny, senior director of the GCTA. “Most of our programs are accelerated so they can get trained and working in anywhere from six to eight weeks on average.”
The academy offers certification programs in skilled trades, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing and truck driving, along with healthcare careers such as certified nursing assistant (CNA), patient care technician, medical assistant, phlebotomy, medical coding and billing.
Denny said those fields continue to be in high demand across Central Texas and offer opportunities for long-term career growth.
Unlike a traditional college degree, many of the academy’s programs are offered at little-to-no cost for students. Denny said this is possible through support from donors, private foundations and state and federal funding.
That funding also allows the academy to provide wraparound services, including transportation assistance, career coaching and job placement support, to help students overcome barriers to employment.
“Some student that are coming through our program is experiencing some significant barrier to employment,” Denny said. “So we can support them with gas cards and bus passes and things that are really in an effort to eliminate any barriers that could prevent them from successfully completing the program.”
After students complete their training, Goodwill’s business solutions team works to connect graduates with local employers while helping them prepare for interviews and begin their careers.
Denny said employers across the Austin area continue to seek workers -particularly in the skilled trades- and that many partner directly with the academy.
For graduates still deciding what’s next, Denny said students shouldn’t feel pressured to follow a traditional path.
“If college does not seem like the right path right now, know that there are other opportunities out there,” she said. “There are programs like ours that allows you finish the program, come out with no debt, and wraparound services to get employed.”
Denny said the goal is to help students find careers that fit their interests while meeting workforce needs across Central Texas, proving that college isn’t the only path to a successful future.