Houstonians Can Earn Accredited Online High School Diploma and Workforce Certificate
Goodwill Houston has joined the growing number of national organizations to offer Career Online High School (COHS) to residents. Young adults in the Houston, Texas, area can now earn an accredited, online high school diploma and workforce certificate.
According to a 2016 report by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, Houston’s Opportunity: Reconnecting Disengaged Youth and Young Adults to Strengthen Houston’s Economy,the greater Houston area is home to 111,000 young people, aged 16-24, who are neither working nor in school. That represents 14.2% of the youth population. Many dropped out before receiving a high school diploma.
Since 2016, Goodwill organizations around the country have partnered with COHS in an effort to upskill members of their workforce, and to improve community members’ job prospects. Goodwill is on a growing list of corporations, workforce boards, non-profit organizations, and public libraries to offer the program, as the shared benefits to companies, constituents, and communities become evident.
“Education is essential to building a stable future. Our partnership with Career Online High Schoolwill allow us to offer our program participants the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and be prepared to achieve success,” said Kym King, Goodwill Houston’s Vice President of Public Relations and Community Engagement.
The competency-based program focuses on practical, real-world job skills and training. In addition to the high school diploma, students earn a career certificate in areas including Home Care Professional, Hospitality, Retail Customer Service, Food Services, Certified Protection Officer, Office Management, Child Care, and Commercial Driving. Students have up to 18 months to complete the program but can transfer in previous high school credits to graduate sooner. Each student is paired with an academic coach, who helps them stay on track to successfully complete the program.
Residents interested in learning more about the program, can visit www.ed2go.com/gwhouston, or call 713-699-6379.
ABOUT GOODWILL HOUSTON
Goodwill Houston improves the lives of individuals, families and communities by providing education, training and employment opportunities to all, while specializing in assisting people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Goodwill Houston strives to be the premiere resource for workforce development in greater Houston. Visit www.goodwillhouston.orgfor more information.
ABOUT CAREER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL
Career Online High School was developed in 2012 through a partnership by ed2go, a division of Cengage that provides students with online continuing education and career training, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education in an effort to provide affordable, career-based online education opportunities for the millions of adults in the United States without high school diplomas. For more information, visit careeronlinehs.org.
