Career and Technical Training Scholarships for Low-Income adults in Alabama

Alliance for Opportunity and Development (AOD)

Providing education and training opportunities for low-income families that fight generational poverty and transform communities.

But He answered them and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4, NASB)

Educate

Adult "Learn and Earn" scholarships for technical training

Motivate

Youth "Imagination and Aspiration" science and technology camps

Support Us

We are a 501(c)(3) Faith Based Non-Profit Corporation

Skills You Can Use
Technical Training for Jobs
Careers Instead of Jobs
Move Forward
Take the Next Step

By A Web Design

The Alliance for Opportunity and Development (AOD) is a 501(c)(3), Christian, non-profit organization established in January 2012. Our mission is to provide education and training opportunities for low-income families that reduce poverty and transform communities. We currently serve the greater Huntsville, Alabama area. AOD has four flagship programs:

The “Learn and Earn” program provides scholarships for technical and vocational training to low-income adults who are ready for success that will dramatically increase their take-home pay and reduce poverty. In 2012, AOD awarded two Learn and Earn scholarships and plans more in 2013.
The “Imagination and Aspiration” program provides scholarships for science and technology summer camp experiences to children from low-income families that will motivate them toward educational achievement. Camps include space, aviation, and robotics camps at Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Children of Learn and Earn scholarship recipients will be given priority to maximize the impact within a family. In 2011, prior to AOD's incorporation, AOD founders sent two kids from low-income families to an aviation daycamp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. In 2012, AOD sent two teens to summer daycamps at Sci-Quest (one to a video game programmers camp and another to a robotics camp). AOD plans to send more in 2013.
The AOD Madison County Job Fair targets jobseekers without degrees. Our first one was held March 20th, 2013 at the Southeast Family YMCA. 45 employers, schools, and community groups participated and about 400 jobseekers attended. For more information about the job fair, go to the article in the News section. AOD plans to make the jbo fair an annual event.
Operation Spyglass: Jeff Coggin (Lt Col USAF Retired) is an AOD board member and became the Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor at Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Mississippi. Many of the Aberdeen High School students come from generational poverty and single parent homes and the high school is in conservatorship of the state until several school performance metrics are improved. AOD granted the cadets $300 for bus transportation in 2012 to attend a drill and rifle meet at Ole Miss. AOD granted $250 for bus transportation in March 2013 for a trip to Huntsville, AL to visit The U.S. Space and Rocket Center and Redstone Arsenal. AOD will help fund one other trip yet to be determined in 2013.

Congratulations to Anita and Mona - AOD's first Scholarship Winners!

Congratulations to Anita Williams and Mona Cato, selected by AOD as our first Learn and Earn scholarship winners! Anita is a Drake student in the Engineering Graphics program. Anita lives in Huntsville with her teenage son and daughter. Anita's scholarship will provide funds necessary to complete her final semester in the Summer of 2013 as well as some other living expenses along the way. AOD also sent her two teens, Marucs and Mariah, to summer day-camp at Sci-Quest. Mariah went to a video game programming camp and Marcus went to a robotics day-camp.

The Engineering Graphics Technology Program is an associate degree curriculum designed to prepare students for work in the mechanical, architectural or electronic drafting fields. Students start by changing or redrawing plans and advance to designing complete working drawings from preliminary sketches and specifications using Computer Aided Drafting Design (CAD) software systems. Additional training allows a student to calculate the strength, size and cost of materials.

Mona Cato's scholarship will get her started on the road to earning a certificate in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at J.F. Drake State Technical College. Mona currently works with Alzheimer's patients as a nurse assistant at a local nursing home.

What makes AOD's Learn and Earn program unique is that we consider helping scholarship recipients with normal living expenses on a case by case basis. Expenses such as transportation, rent, utilities, and childcare go on regardless of whether or not a student has all of their tuition and other school expenses covered by a scholarship. These expenses are often the difference betwen staying in school and quitting or stretching out an education program over a very long period of time. The sooner a student can graduate with new skills, the sooner they can begin a good paying job in a new career.

For more about the Learn and Earn program, click here.

Help us fight poverty with scholarships by donating to AOD - click here.

Anita - Engineering Graphics, expected graduation Summer semester 2013