Are you an undocumented youth that was brought to the United States at a young age? Recently unemployed and want to retrain for a vocation? You may be eligible for higher education as a DREAMer or DACA recipient under the new state law passed in Texas.
Are Dreamers and DACA Recipients Eligible for Higher Education?
The short answer is yes. Although the federal government has not passed the DREAM Act as of yet, many states have begun offering a path to education and training. In Texas, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) allows those undocumented and unemployed DREAMers the chance to attend vocational school. CyberTex in particular was granted funds under WIOA to offer state funds to help those DACA recipients that have recently lost their job and want to get trained for a vocation. Recipients must apply to CyberTex Institute of Technology as well as the scholarship offered to DREAMers.
Who are DREAMers?
The DREAM Act is short for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. It is a bill in Congress that would give legal status to undocumented immigrants that were brought to the United States as children, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Although the name DREAMers came from the bill in Congress, it has also become an inspirational meaning for those undocumented youth that want to take part in the American dream. The DREAM Act would provide a path to U.S. citizenship, allowing them to attend college and serve in the military.
What is DACA?
DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. In June 2021, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain individuals that came to the United States as children and meet certain guidelines can request consideration of deferred action for removal from the United States for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The recipients of DACA are young people that have grown up in the United States, many identifying themselves as Americans. Most have no memory of the country they were born in but have no way to become legal resident since they weren’t born in the United States. DACA allows these youth to stay in the United States in hopes that the federal government will pass the DREAM Act.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
WIOA is designed to help those that are unemployed the ability to secure employment, education and training to enter the labor market as skilled workers. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the WIOA authorizes federal investment in adults, dislocated workers and youth the ability to access employment and training services. This includes Wagner-Peyser employment services, adult education and literacy programs, and vocational rehabilitation state grant programs.
CyberTex Institute of Technology is one of those WIOA grant recipients and intends to help those unemployed DACA recipients with vocational training to return to the workforce.
What Vocational Programs Does CyberTex Offer?
CyberTex Institute of Technology offers accelerated training programs in information technology, medical, healthcare and construction trades. These programs are taught by industry experienced instructors in small classrooms that allow you to receive one-on-one attention. The vocational programs that CyberTex offers include:
Network Engineering
This 45-week program prepares you for the information technology and networking fields. In addition to training in basic network routing and switching, network security and cloud computing, you will also be prepared to take part in 14 IT certifications. These certifications include CompTIA, Windows and Microsoft certifications, and AWS certified cloud practitioner. With Austin becoming a top destination for IT jobs, CyberTex’s Network Engineer training program prepares you for entry-level positions at some of the industries’ top employers.
Medical Assisting
The 45-week program prepares you for an entry-level position in medical assisting. During the medical assisting program, you learn the clinical and clerical duties associated with working in a physician’s office, hospital, clinic, or other medical facility. Upon graduation, you are eligible to take the National Healthcareer Association certification exams in medical assisting, certified phlebotomy technician and certified EKG technician.
Vocational Nursing
Our vocational nursing program prepares you to enter healthcare as an LVN working in hospitals and nursing homes. In addition to medical theory, we help you gain clinical experience with nursing faculty on-site in:
- Health Science
- Basic and Advanced Nursing Skills
- Pharmacology
- Medication Administration
- Nursing in Health and Illness
- Clinical Vocational Nursing
- Leadership and Professional Development
- Maternal-Neonatal Nursing
- Pediatrics
The curriculum also prepares you to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) to become a licensed vocational nurse.
HVAC
This 11-month program prepares you to enter the HVAC industry and become eligible for the EPA-608 certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This HVAC training program includes theory and hands-on experience within the following topics:
- Safety and Shop practices
- Basic Refrigeration
- Basic Electricity,
- Brazing, Soldering, and Piping
- Sheet Metal Fabrication and Duct Systems
- Air Conditioning
- Heating
- Commercial HVAC
- Commercial Refrigeration
- Supervisory Skills & Crew Leadership
We pair hands-on HVAC training with industry knowledge, focusing on the job skills employers seek.
Why CyberTex Institute of Technology?
CyberTex Institute of Technology offers short-term training programs in the information technology, healthcare, and construction trades fields. You receive lectures and hands-on experience to hone your vocational skills for your first day on the job. In addition to our hands-on classroom training, you are provided with job placement assistance with essential career planning including externships. We also build and maintain relationships with companies in the Austin and Killeen areas for your benefit.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for higher education as a DACA recipient, look no further than CyberTex Institute of Technology. With our recent addition of funds from the state sponsored WIOA grant, we want to help you get back in the workforce by receiving highly sought-after vocational training in healthcare, information technology and construction trades. You bring the passion, and we supply the education.
Want to Learn More?
CyberTex offers short-term training programs in the Information Technology, Medical, Healthcare, and Construction Trades fields. We are a student-centric institute that equips students with workplace skills for initial employment, paving the way for desired and financially stable careers. Our goal is to empower our students, including veterans, to make a meaningful contribution to themselves, their families, and their community.
Dreamers or qualifiers of DACA may not know they qualify. Call us to see if you or someone you know qualifies?