AUSTIN (KXAN)—Precious Hicks doesn’t have a home, so she knows the streets around downtown Austin well.
“I stay under the bridge…it’s been very difficult,” Hicks said.
Now, for the first time in a long time, she’s hoping to turn her life around. Hicks is one of 25 people experiencing homelessness, now a part of a new job training certification program through the Austin Community College (ACC).
It’s a new way to help people like Hicks get on their feet, and hopefully into permanent housing.
“[It] was the greatest thing I’ve ever heard,” Hicks said. “This is my first time ever having an opportunity to start over in life.”
The Urban Alchemy, which runs the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), is partnering with ACC to run the program.
People experiencing homelessness who stay at the ARCH and 8th Street shelters will go through a 15-20 week program for Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) certification. It’s sponsored by Workforce Solutions.
“They will meet three times a week, and upon successful completion of the course, will have an opportunity to be placed on a job,” said Harriet Young, field operations specialist for Urban Alchemy. “Austin Community College has partnered with other companies to be able to offer jobs.”
The Urban Alchemy said it’s hoping this is a long-term solution for helping people get off the streets.
“We believe you change your mind, you’ll change your life,” Young said.
Young told KXAN that they got feedback from people staying at their shelters before creating the program.
“Most of our guests decided they wanted to take HVAC [classes],” Young said.
According to the Urban Alchemy, HVAC technicians are in high demand, and ACC said a median salary for the position is about $40,000 dollars a year.
“I definitely think it’ll help me get back on my feet,” Hicks said.