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)
I’m Interested!
Connect with a Kennedy-King College Representative to receive more information today.