What is a Personal Care Attendant?
A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) supports people with disabilities and older people to live in their homes, with their families, or in other community settings. A PCA can be employed by a provider of community services, a family member, or a person with a disability who needs support and assistance. Personal Care Attendants play key roles in the lives of the people they serve and their families. Personal Care Attendants are instrumental in supporting a person to live a valued life in his or her community.
What does a Personal Care Attendant do?
Assist a person who is aging or disable perform routine living activities. This could be in a client’s home or in a residential care facility. Tasks can include routine cleaning, cooking, housekeeping chores, personal hygiene assistance and companionship.
You may also be asked to keep detailed client records and report any significant changes in your client condition to your supervisor.
What training does the program include?
E4Texas has three semesters that must be completed.
- Summer Semester - Bridge to Career (B2C)
B2C is a 4-week college prep program. Students live on campus at University of Texas at Austin and learn independent living and self-determination skills. Students must pass B2C to move forward in E4Texas.
Housing and meals are included in the Summer session.
- Fall Semester – E4Texas: Educate. Empower. Employ. Excel.
Students go to classes on the University of Texas campus and at community partner organizations. Fall builds on the skills learned in the summer and adds the Personal Care Attendant classes. E4Texas Fall semester combines classroom instruction with practical career building experiences.
Housing and meals are not included in the Fall session.
- Spring Semester – E4Texas Internship
Students participate in internships in the community as well as maintaining community involvement and some classes.
Housing and meals are not included in the Spring session.
After successful completion of all three semesters, E4Texas students receive a Certificate of Completion from the Texas Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas Austin.
How is admission determined?
Admissions to the E4Texas Program is competitive. It is not determined on a "first come, first served" basis. There is no waiting list. Not all students who apply are accepted. Not all students who are accepted graduate. The program curriculum is rigorous. Because students are trained to work with some of the world's most vulnerable populations, high expectations are placed upon students who are admitted. Students must first fill out the online application, provide essay and resume and identify references. Applications are then graded according to a rubric. The highest scoring students are then invited for an interview where they are scored again. Acceptance letters will follow when interviews are complete.
Can I apply for the E4Texas program if I have a disability?
The E4Texas program is an inclusive program which train students with and without disabilities to become a Personal Care Attendant (PCA).
What post-secondary educational support will I receive while I am in the program?
The E4Texas program has a comprehensive support system for students who have difficulties in reading and/or writing, or who need accommodations in learning. First, we apply the Universal Design of Learning in the instruction. All instructional materials will be accessible to students in the forms of presentations, videos and/or sounds. Students can choose to use multiple means to demonstrate their knowledge, such as written, presentation, and demonstration. We also provide assistive technology to students who need accommodations, such as the screen reader and speech to text training. In addition, tutoring will be provided at least twice a week and mentoring will be provided on a daily basis.
Is there mentor support?
Each student will have a college mentor, who is a typical college student that has special education background or other educational backgrounds. The mentor will work with the student on a daily basis based on individual needs and support the student to achieve their goals during the program.
What are the program dates?
E4 Summer SemesterBridge to Career Move in: Sunday, July 8, 2018
Bridge to Career Move Out: Saturday, August 4, 2018
E4Texas Fall Semester 2018:
- August 29 Classes begin
- September 3 Labor Day – No Classes
- November 21-24 – Thanksgiving – No Classes
- December 10 last class day
E4Texas Spring Semester 2019:
- January 22 Classes begin
- March 11-23 – Spring Break – No Classes
- May 10 Last day of class
How much does the program cost:
- Bridge to Career – Summer 2018: $4,200 (Costs includes tuition, housing and meals)
- E4Texas Fall Semester: Fall 2018: $ 4,620* (Tuition only)
- E4Texas Spring Semester: Spring 2019: $3,600* (Tuition only)
- *Fall and Spring semester tuition does not include housing or meals. Students will need to secure their own living arrangements for these two semesters.
Are there financial resources available for the cost of the program?
Some students fund themselves with private scholarships and personal savings. Students who have Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) counselors can visit with them to see what expenses they can help cover. For many of our students who stay in the dorms, TWC may be able to pay for their tuition, housing, and meals.
Please send an email to E4Texas@austin.utexas.edu for help identifying the nearest TWC office to you.
How do I apply for E4Texas?
The application process consists of four parts.
- Complete the application questions.
- Create an essay and resume.
- Identify two references who can complete a short survey.
- Submit the completed application and registration fee. All application packets must be fully completed and submitted with a $50 application fee in order to be considered.
Here is the link to apply: COMING SOON!!!