April 24, 2018 | Updated: January 29, 2019

The University of Texas has created a new post-secondary training program that includes people with intellectual disabilities. E4Texas provides a college experience at the University of Texas at Austin. This year’s program focuses on Personal Care Attendant training.

The University of Texas has created a new post-secondary training program that includes people with intellectual disabilities. E4Texas provides a college experience at the University of Texas at Austin. This year’s program focuses on Personal Care Attendant training. The E4Texas experience combines classroom instruction with practical career building experiences in addition to independent living and self-determination skills.

E4Texas has three goals.

  1. Educate Texans to gain employment skills, as well as professional and independent living skills.
  2. Empower Texans to become self-determined & independent.
  3. Employ Texans in the area of Personal Care Attendants and related fields, and who will Excel in life!

The program has three semesters starting in 2018:

  1. 4-week Summer Semester - Bridge to Career (B2C): 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.
  2. Fall Semester – E4Texas:  Educate. Empower. Employ. Excel: Students go to classes on the University of Texas campus and at community partner organizations. The Fall semester 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.
  3. Spring Semester – Internship: Students participate in internships in the community as well as maintaining community involvement and some classes.

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 at Austin. For more information: www.DisabilityStudies.utexas.edu/E4Texas.