Explore Opportunities in high-demand fields at Kennedy-King College and Dawson Technical Institute (DTI)

Kennedy-King College and DTI offer tuition-free program opportunities to improve employment outcomes across Chicago’s unemployed and underemployed residents. Qualifying students can get training in high-demand fields and receive help finding a fulfilling job in less than one year. The WEI Scholar funding can be applied toward tuition dollars not covered by your existing financial aid (such as -federal funding, scholarships, etc.). Programs are also offered through the Construction Technology Center at Dawson Technical Institute.

The WEI Scholars program supports students in the following short-term programs:

• Automotive (Basic or Advanced Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $42,090
• Commercial Refrigeration (Basic Certificate)  – Average Median Salary: $48,730 per year
• Combination Welding (Basic Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $42,900
• Construction Masonry (Basic Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $46,500 per year
• Cyber Security Technology (Advanced Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $74,936
• Construction Carpentry (Basic Certificate) – Average Medan Salary: $48,330 per year
• Domestic Refrigeration (Basic Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $48,730 per year
• Heating Basic Certificate (Basic Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $48,730 per year
• HVAC (Advanced Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $48,730 per year
• Overhead Electrical Line Worker (Advanced Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $65,700 per year
• Plumbing and Fire Protection (Basic Certificate) – Average Median Salary: $55,160 per year

To participate, students must:

• Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Become involved in campus or community volunteer opportunities

In addition to a tuition scholarship or waiver, participating students can enjoy:

• Workforce, career development, and job placement workshops
• Engagement activities specific to WEI participants
• Transportation assistance (approval required)
• Support for supplies, tools, and/or union application fees (approval required)