It seems like yesterday when Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) leaders, Adult Education staff and members of the community gathered to celebrate the official opening of the Adult Education Learning Center. With its opening, Superintendent James Colbert Jr. challenged #TeamHCDE to develop programs and resources that change the lives of adult learners looking for a second chance.  

This week, we see part of his call to action come to fruition as Adult Education’s Career Pathways program completes its pipeline to creating a well-rounded student with the necessary network to gain employment.  

“Be the impact,” said Karla West, the division’s career pathways coordinator. “I love this statement because our goal is for every student that comes in that door to walk out better.” 

Nearly 100 learners and their families attended the inaugural Workforce Wednesday event, a monthly professional development platform that gives students access to explore community resources, build a network of potential employers and gain insight into different career paths. Four vendors welcomed engaged students seeking information for first-time homeowners and employment opportunities within the construction and medical fields.  

Victoria Sias is fully invested in HCDE’s Adult Education program. She received her High School Equivalency certification (HSE, formerly known as GED) a few years ago and is currently enrolled in the division’s new English as a Second Language (ESL) Phlebotomy class with the hopes of becoming a technician. Sias described feeling grateful to have found a program invested in the students and not just the numbers.  

“I’ve never seen any other educational program for adults that has been so inviting and so warming. They make you feel like it’s the first day at school every day,” she said. “This event was so beneficial because I’ve learned that there’s a lot of options that I didn’t know were available, and these vendors are just open to helping people like me.”  

Added West: “Being able to get an education and find a job requires more than just that. Our students have concerns about health care and childcare. As an educational agency, we can’t meet all of those needs, but we can increase the chances for them to be exposed to resources and let them know that even though we have goals with the Texas Workforce Commission, our main goal has always been the students.” 

Workforce Wednesday is but one stop in the pipeline to success as it supplements the program’s Meet and Greet and Signing Day events. Adult Education leaders target various employers and organizations during their Meet and Greet sessions to inform potential partners about the division’s services and programs and boast how a partnership can provide a host of new recruits throughout the year. Workforce Wednesday is designed to inform students about the resources available to them. Signing Day is a culmination and celebration of the partnership that introduced employers to their new hires.  

“I feel Adult Education is helping me get ahead and move forward in the direction I want to go 
to improve my life, and I’m grateful for this opportunity,” said ESL student Pavel Mas. 

To learn more about HCDE’s Adult Education programs, visit hcde-texas.org/adult-education.