Casoro Group Education Foundation Launches Partnership with Austin Independent School District
Partnership will expose students to new career opportunities and pathways in the commercial and residential real estate industry
The Casoro Group Education Foundation (“CGEF” or “the Foundation”), announced today it is partnering with the Austin Independent School District (“AISD” or “Austin ISD”) on the district’s innovative program, Pathways in Technology (“P-TECH”), which helps students explore career options and jump-start their educational trajectories in those careers.
The Foundation – which was established in 2021 by Casoro Group, an Austin-based multifamily real estate investment firm – will collaborate with AISD on the implementation of the business-focused P-TECH program at LBJ Early College High School. P-TECH was created in 2011 to offer career pathways in computer technology, real estate, education, construction, cyber security, hospitality, or healthcare; participating students graduate with both a high school diploma and a two-year business degree from Austin Community College – free of cost. As part of the partnership, CGEF will meet with students regularly and help AISD design a high-quality curriculum that includes student experiences, highly relevant projects, exposure to various career options in the field, site visits and internships.
Programming has already begun for the 2022-23 academic year, beginning with ninth grade students who will participate in job talks and mentoring experiences with industry professionals. Additional programming will be developed and implemented as students progress through their high school careers.
“We are thrilled to join LBJ in their efforts to prepare students to compete and succeed in the workforce,” said Yuen Yung, who serves as CGEF board president. “Too many industries, including commercial real estate, are facing a lack of available talent due to a ‘leaky pipeline’ that starts in childhood, and at Casoro we believe the onus is on companies to help mitigate the issue through an increased focus on education. We’ve already had our first meeting with LBJ students and are looking forward to building on our mutual enthusiasm for the program as we help them expand their understanding of the wide variety of careers in the industry and pursue the pathways they’re passionate about.”
“The Pathways in Technology program has already helped dozens of our scholars imagine and actualize their career aspirations, and we are very pleased that CGEF has chosen to join our mission,” said Dr. Creslond Fannin, executive director of Early College High Schools & Pathways in Technology for the Austin Independent School District. “This partnership will serve as a model for local business leaders who are seeking ways to both give back to their communities and play a role in developing the next generation of workers.”
The Casoro Group Education Foundation is dedicated to providing educational and career assistance to economically disadvantaged youth, through increased participation in the real estate industry. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by donors, corporate sponsors and investor pledges from the Casoro Group’s Onyx Impact Fund; it aims to increase diversity in real estate through the “E4 Approach,” which exposes underrepresented students early on to exciting careers opportunities and benefits of the commercial real estate industry. CGEF works with post-secondary schools to fund the courses and programs needed to help educate students for careers and gain experience through internships and mentorships. These initiatives help better position students to earn job opportunities and placements, and eventually generate savings to invest and grow personal wealth.
In addition to its work with AISD, CGEF is also partnered with Huston-Tillotson University, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU), to create commercial real estate-related classes and extracurricular programs to help educate students to become knowledgeable about the real estate industry. CGEF then helps place students in internships, mentorships and work-study programs to prepare them for success post-graduation. At a fundraising event on November 5, the Foundation raised $50,000 to benefit these partnerships, bringing its fundraising total for 2022 to $158,000.