Foster youth graduate job program

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Nine young women, all current or former foster youth, graduated Monday from the Texas Works Paths to Success program — a new effort designed to help them transition from foster care into stable, full-time employment.

The ceremony was held at the El Paso Community College Administrative Boardroom. It marked the first graduating class of a five-week program created in partnership between the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

The program prepares participants to work in state eligibility offices, connecting Texans to resources like food, medical, and financial assistance. Each graduate has now been hired as a full-time employee with benefits and a pension.

One of the graduates shared that she didn’t want to become “just another statistic,” referencing the high rates of incarceration and homelessness among former foster youth. She said the program helped her believe in a better path.

The group of graduates included women of varying ages — the oldest in her 30s. While the program is open to all genders, only women applied for this round.

The program is part of the broader Preparation for Adult Living initiative, created to give foster youth the tools they need to succeed in adulthood.