The new Houston Community College (HCC) Brays Oaks Center is responding to the increased demand for affordable workforce training in the Brays Oaks community. The state-of-the-art 28,000 square-foot facility bridges the gap between high school and a successful career by offering students in the community an opportunity to graduate and start working within six months to one year.

According to the Brays Oaks Management District, over 26 percent of residents ages 25 and older do not have a high school diploma. Another 23 percent have only completed high school or have received a GED. Additionally, more than 40 percent of the Brays Oaks population is Hispanic and many speak only Spanish.
The HCC Brays Oaks Campus opened at the beginning of this year. Enrollment continues to rise as the center provides a diverse community a variety of courses and certifications. The goal is to make going to college convenient, relevant and affordable.

Technology (IT) courses and certifications are among the options at the new center. It offers Network+ Certification, MS Office Suite Professional and A+ Certification classes. The classes all are designed to get a student started in a new career or give an existing professional an extra certification to either receive a promotion, a salary increase or apply for another job.

Having technical and professional certifications are increasingly more popular and important these days.  “Community colleges, like HCC, play a critical role in training new workers and retraining veteran workers,” said Moji Amini, HCC Division of Extended Learning Program Manager. “People interested in becoming computer support specialists generally need certificates in a computer-related field, as well as significant hands-on experience with computers to land good jobs.”

The $12 million Brays Oaks Center sits near the intersection of West Bellfort Street and Riceville Road and will offer the following Continuing Education and Adult Education and Literacy Program classes and certifications this summer and fall:
Information Technology (IT) Careers
Network+ Certification
MS Office Suite Professional
A+ Certification classes
Health Careers
Phlebotomy Technician and CPR Training
Medical Office Professional and Comprehensive Coding Systems
Business Careers
Multi-Family Property Management
Paralegal
General Educational Development (GED) Test Preparation
English as a Second Language (ESL) classes

Register for summer classes starting Monday, April 3. The summer 2017 semester starts Monday, June 4. Deadline to register for classes is Sunday, June 3. To sign up, go to: hccs.edu/apply.