Capital IDEA Blog

Season for Caring: Alicia Gonzales

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 4, 2019 This year Capital IDEA student, Alicia Gonzales, is a featured family in the Austin American Statesman Season for Caring. Since 1999, Statesman readers have generously donated more than 11 million dollars in cash and in-kind goods and services, all of which have benefited the featured families and hundreds of others like […]

Student Journey: Child Care Doesn’t Need to Hold You Back

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 20, 2019 When Melinda Sertuche decided to go back to school, her 8-year old daughter didn’t understand why. “It was hard for her at first, because it was new. I don’t have any family members that had gone to college, so it’s not something that’s a normal thing in […]

Partner Spotlight: St. David’s Foundation

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 6, 2019 If you live in the Austin area, but haven’t heard of the St. David’s Foundation, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their funding at work. Perhaps you’ve taken a stroll on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail over Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin, […]

Graduate Spotlight: Just Keep Showing Up

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2, 2019 Amber Bothne’s journey through nursing school was anything but easy. “I felt like I was challenged every step of the way.” Her experiences during nursing school would have kept most people from finishing. Yet, while the obstacles kept piling on, Amber believed that if she just kept […]

Partner Spotlight: Hindu Charities for America

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 Education is a powerful thing. It can open doors that were once thought to be non-existent, and it can change the trajectory of a person’s life. The people at Hindu Charities for America (HC4A) know this and believe it wholeheartedly because they lived it. “Most of us […]

Graduate Spotlight: Giving Up Is Not An Option

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED AUGUST 21, 2019 “You can’t give up.” Jessica Jaimes holds this motto close to her heart and strives to live it out on a daily basis. It would have been easy for her to give up, and after enduring what she described as a “horrible and abusive” relationship, and the […]

Published: Capital IDEA’s 20th Anniversary Annual Report

Dear Friends, This past year, Capital IDEA celebrated 20 years of lifting adults out of poverty and into living wage careers through education. As an avid runner, I can say that leading Capital IDEA these past two decades has been much like a marathon with progress coming one step at a time. We’ve not only […]

Graduate Spotlight: I’m Not Going Down Those Old Roads

PUBLISHED APRIL 15, 2019 GRADUATE SPEAKER Jeremy spoke at Captial IDEA’s Celebration of Achievements in February 2019 and was featured in Capital IDEA’s 2018 Annual Report. Good afternoon, my name is Jeremy Acosta and I’m honored to be here as a Capital IDEA alumn and one of the first graduates to come from the IT […]

Published: Capital IDEA’s 2017 Annual Report

Highlights From an Oustanding Year 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Capital IDEA’s 2017 Annual Report is now available online. We are proud to share these highlights from an outstanding year of lifting working adults out of poverty and into living wage careers through education. We hope you enjoy reading about student successes because this report is chock-full […]

Partner Spotlight: A Day in the Community with United Way of Williamson County

PUBLISHED APRIL 27, 2017 Capital IDEA is honored to be a grantee of the United Way of Williamson County. UWWC unites people and organizations to build stronger communities and improve lives. By stabilizing families, helping kids succeed academically, and empowering good health, United Way is working towards a community where people thrive, lead healthy lives, […]

Escalating Gains: The Full Report

Dear Friends, We are pleased to share the below report with you. The success of any workforce development program is cause for celebration, and we are especially thrilled for the success of Project QUEST. The leaders of COPS/Metro and the San Antonio business community generously shared the Project QUEST model with Austin Interfaith and business […]

Published: Capital IDEA's 2016 Annual Report

As Capital IDEA approaches its 20th year, we are seeing impacts extend beyond simply good careers for our graduates and new skilled workers for the economy. We celebrated our 1300th graduate last year, Amy Lopez-Escobedo—she not only has gone from struggling in unskilled, low-income jobs to becoming a Registered Nurse, she has now become a […]

Graduate Spotlight: Central Health & our 1,300th Graduate!

Hello, my name is Amy Lopez-Escobedo, and I am a proud Capital IDEA graduate, mother of three, and Registered Nurse at CommUnity Care. I always felt destined to become a nurse. Since I was little, my mom noted I had a caring nature and would try to help people when they weren’t well. Knowing my […]

Partner Spotlight: Central Health

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 20, 2016 VIDEO: An Austin mom is giving her family a holiday gift they’ll never forget – she graduated from Austin Community College District Associate Degree Nursing Program this week and now plans to help Travis County solve its nursing shortage. Central Health partnered with the City of Austin to secure federal dollars, […]

Capital IDEA: Information for Former ITT Tech Students

In response to the news that many Austin area students have been impacted by the shutdown of ITT Tech, Capital IDEA has put together three short lists of recommendations for those students who wish to move forward in their education and careers. 3 Excellent Education Options in the Greater Austin Area Capital IDEA has worked […]

100 Paid Internships Added to Our Tech Career Programs

With support from local employers, Capital IDEA and Austin Community College, 100 paid internships are available for three Tech Career programs. Internships are an advantage in this booming industry – training will now include a year of paid, real work experience. As with our other sponsored careers, Capital IDEA fully funds tuition, books and fees […]

Commissioners Court IT Introduces Interns

Partner Spotlight: Travis County Interns and Investment in the Community

PUBLISHED JUNE 27, 2016 Travis County is a long-time investor in Capital IDEA. Funds from Travis County are given to allow Capital IDEA to deliver services that help individuals improve workplace skills, obtain employment, succeed in the workplace, and help employers secure a skilled workforce. In 2016, Travis County increased their engagement with a decision […]

Partner Spotlight: Impact Austin Members Love Capital IDEA Moms!

PUBLISHED JUNE 15, 2016 Impact Austin members have selected Capital IDEA as a grant recipient twice! In 2009 an award of $102,000 funded college tuition, books and fees for students; and a 2016 award of $94,000 will allow Capital IDEA to serve more rural moms pursuing the education to secure a great career. Impact Austin […]