Serving the residents of Harris County
Harris County
- Adult Career Education
- Job Readiness
- CDL Certification
- Dental Assistant
- Health Care Certifications
- Welding
Adult Career Education
The GCCSA Adult Career Education team partners with educational entities around Harris County to provide innovative programs that will enable adult residents not just to acquire marketable skills, but obtain certifications for lucrative and satisfying careers that will span a lifetime.
GCCSA is eradicating the disparity within Greater Houston with opportunity and means. We are providing scholarships for certificate programs with organizations with whom we have developed ongoing partnerships. This will help individuals become better equipped when seeking employment in very competitive industries.
While enrolled in GCCSA adult education and literacy programs, participants receive 1) case management; 2) access to GCCSA’s Head Start & Early Head Start Program for qualified children; 3) budget and financial literacy; 4) employment support services; and 5) hardship assistance, including for rent, electricity, food, and transportation.
Job Readiness
GCCSA, Inc. offers job readiness workshops that help prepare participants to get, keep and excel at their employment. We help program participants develop the necessary skills and good work habits that will facilitate their continued success.
Our career counseling and employment services provide one-on-one coaching, counseling, mentoring, and advising; resume writing and reviews; job leads, referrals, and placements; job fairs and career events; and networking opportunities with other service providers. Workshops include –
Resume & Cover Letter
- Effective elements of an eye-catching resume
- Build and/or revise your resume
- Components of a cover letter
- Create a job-specific cover letter
Job Search & Application
- The modern job search
- Search strategies
- Organizing your search
- Completing an application
- Dealing with the stress of rejection
The Job Interview
- Dress for Success
- Interview questions and answers
- Employment history
- Workplace etiquette
Networking
- What is networking?
- The art of building relationships
- Strategies for success
Employability Skills
- Professionalism
- Effective communication
- Problem-solving
- Time management
CDL Certification
GCCSA is currently partnering with ACE Truck Driving Academy to offer free CDL classes. Your future starts here!
Our partnership with ACE Truck Driving is affording better opportunities for you to drive out of month-to-month living and into a more successful life. Participants in the courses will receive a scholarship to attend the certification courses for free. While enrolled in ACE Academy, participants will receive GCCSA supportive services, such as access to the food pantry and assistance with rent and utilities. Enrollment for the 4 to 6-week classes is ongoing.
Dental Assistant
GCCSA is partnering with Pure Dental Assistant Academy for those who wish to pursue a career in health care.
Pure Dental Assistant Academy offers programs for entry-level assisting. Their 7-week program also offers the ability for students to become registered dental assistants. A career as a dental assistant offers –
- A secure and stable career with upward mobility in the healthcare field
- A career that makes a difference in the lives of people through health and well-being (who doesn’t want a gorgeous smile!)
- Fast, affordable training (7-week program)
- Long-term job security with positions available in every community
- Competitive pay (many RDA’s start off at more than $19/hour)
Health Care Certifications
GCCSA’s partnership with Unchartered Territory Solutions (UTS) has opened up healthcare opportunities for interested participants. UTS is a Houston-based, veteran-owned company run by experienced nurses. It has certificate programs (with GCCSA scholarship assistance) for –
- Medical Assistant
- Patient Care Technician
- Phlebotomy
- EKG Technician
Welding
GCCSA has partnered with two organizations that will train, certify and assist graduates with obtaining positions within the high-demand industries that require skilled welders.
Industrial Welding Academy (IWA)
IWA is dedicated to teaching students the trade of welding through a uniquely designed curriculum that allows graduates to find positions within the many industries that use skilled welders. IWA offers five certifications –
- 2 Three-week courses
- 3 Six-week courses
South Coast Welding Academy (SCWA)
SCWA’s trade school offers various welding technology programs designed to provide hands-on training. Graduates are prepared to work in construction, shipbuilding, petrochemical, fabrication shops, pipeline, and more. SCWA offers 13-course types throughout the day, 7 days a week. They also have instruction in Spanish.
2024 Cohort 1 Applications are at capacity. Please watch this site for updates.
The Application for Services is available to income-eligible residents of Harris County who are in immediate need of rental and/or utility assistance or are interested in applying for any of the vocational programs and scholarships that GCCSA offers.
For those whose applications were accepted please click on the following link to track the status of your application.
(If you do not know or have your ID# then please email myapplication@gccsa.org)
Application Tracker | EnglishApplication Tracker | Spanish
What do I Need to Apply for Services?
Proof of Residency
Household Size
Lease Agreement
Proof of Income
- We will verify your address using the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) database.
- Provide all pages of your current, not expired, signed Lease Agreement
- Must list all persons 18+ years of age living in the Household
Additional documents are required to prove the number of people in the Household if:
- You do not have a lease because you are a homeowner or are in an alternative living situation;
- Your Application for Services has listed Household members who are not included in the Lease; or
- Your Lease has Household members who are not listed on your Application.
If your current, unexpired Lease Agreement is not accepted, please provide a copy of 1 of the listed documents for each person 18+ years of age in your Household.
- Letter from the landlord/ apartment manager, dated and signed
- State issued ID/ Driver License (current, unexpired)
- Property or Income Tax Statement
- Mortgage Statement
- SSI/SSDI Award Letter
- SNAP Award Letter
- Medicaid or Medicare Letter
- Voter Registration Card
- Utility or cable bill
- Current auto insurance
- Any document issued by the state, county, city, or federal government dated within 90 days of the Application for Services
Income documentation must be submitted for all persons 18+ years old. All income included in your Application requires documentation.
For each Adult Household Member employed within the past 30 days and who has received paycheck(s), submit consecutive pay stubs for the thirty (30) days prior to the date of your Application:
- If paid Weekly = 4 consecutive pay stubs
- If paid Bi-Weekly = 2 consecutive pay stubs
- If paid Semi-Monthly = 2 consecutive pay stubs
- If paid Monthly = 1 pay stub
For each Adult Household Member that receives Monthly Award Payments, submit a current Award Letter:
- Unemployment benefits, provide a payment detail summary sheet (date printed must reflect on or after date of signed Application)
- Social Security (SS)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI)
- VA Benefits
- VA Disability Benefits
- Retirement or Pension
- Insurance/ Workman’s Comp/ Annuity Payments
- Child Support, provide a payment detail summary sheet (date printed must reflect on or after date of signed Application)
- If the Household receives SNAP/ Food Stamps, submit a current, dated Benefit Letter (all pages must be included).
- If an Adult Household Member cannot provide proof of income, the Household must complete a Declaration of Income Statement (DIS)
A Household must detail how immediate and basic needs have been met. All income is verified and must have attached copies as proof.