Dallas College Creates 3 Career-Focused Programs for Students With Disabilities
The community college will support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities with career readiness skills and certification for increased employment opportunities.
The number of students with disabilities enrolled in higher education has grown, but there continues to be a gap in the number of adults with disabilities in the labor force.
In 2023, around 7.5 percent of individuals with disabilities were unemployed, compared to 3.5 percent of people without disabilities, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dallas College, which has seven campuses, announced Oct. 2 it plans to offer three programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to empower them to participate in meaningful work. The initiatives each support students on a specific career or educational path, providing career competencies and life skills to promote success.
Hugs Training Academy
The Hugs Training Academy, a partnership with nonprofit social enterprise Hugs Café Inc., launched in early 2024. Academy attendees learn entry-level skills in the culinary and hospitality industries, such as professionalism in the workplace, food safety handling and an introduction to food preparation and service. Students also complete two certifications as part of the curriculum.
The 12-week training is provided by Hugs Café, and students complete three courses. Classes meet twice a week and tuition is $3,200 a semester, similar to the out-of-district tuition rate for all learners.
The program serves eight students with intellectual and developmental disabilities per session and has nine graduates to date.
Uniquely Abled Academy
The Uniquely Abled Academy is a partnership between colleges and the Uniquely Abled Project, which provides career training for young adults with autism interested in machine shop work. Dallas College is the first Texas-based institution to offer the program.
The academy runs for 15 weeks and includes 300 hours of in-class instruction and 60 hours of job readiness instruction. To be eligible, students must be at least 18 years old by the end of the term, hold a high school diploma or GED, be comfortable working with machinery in an industrial environment and have basic college readiness in English and algebra.
Throughout the program, students gain hands-on experience programming, setting up and operating a computer numerical control machine, as well as using quality-control instruments, operating mill and lathe machines, conducting shop mathematics, and reading blueprints. In addition to the technical training, participants will engage in a mock interview, résumé review, job interviews and human skills coaching.
Additionally, employers interested in hiring graduates of the program undergo their own training about how to support individuals with autism on the job.
Interested in other models of career preparation for students with disabilities? Learn more about four colleges and universities that provide similar services.
The program typically has no cost for accepted applicants, according to the Uniquely Abled Project’s website, and it is supported by a $640,677 grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technical Education Program.
Project Aspire
A unique–to–Dallas College program, Project Aspire provides high school graduates with more generalized professional development for workplace readiness to support their next steps.
The one-year program teaches participants planning, organizing, problem-solving, decision-making and fundamental business skills. Additionally, students are supported by an accessibility services case manager, who provides individualized help and accommodations, as needed. “Case managers also ensure overall student well-being and help them to access additional support through Dallas College’s Student Care Network,” a Dallas College press release says.
Upon completion of 10 continuing education courses, students will receive two certificates: customer care agent and workplace readiness skills.
To be eligible, learners must be between the ages of 18 and 28, have completed high school, provide documentation of an intellectual or developmental disability, and complete an application. The first two cohorts had eight students each.
Qualifying students do not pay tuition or fees to participate in Project Aspire; the college is funded by the Perkins Equitable Access and Opportunity Grant.