Hope Works

FREE TECH TRAINING THAT LEADS TO REAL JOBS              

 

Change Your Life. Learn Tech. Get Hired.

You've faced challenges. Maybe incarceration, homelessness, addiction, or mental health struggles. None of that defines what you can become.

 

Hope Works gives those in California's Central Valley free tech training and peer support to land jobs paying $40,000–$100,000 a year.  No degree required. No cost. Ever.

 

HOW IT WORKS

1. Pick Your Path Online
   Browse 20+ tech careers. Choose what interests you. Start training immediately—all online, go at your own pace.

2. We Cover the Cost
   Some certifications are already free. For the ones that cost money, we're actively securing scholarships to cover 100% of your expenses. You never pay.

3. Get Support
   Peer support specialists with lived experience are available by phone, video, or in-person. You're never alone in this.

4. Earn Your Certification
   Complete your training online. Take your certification exam. We cover the exam fees too.

5. Get Hired
   We connect you with employers actively hiring Hope Works graduates. Many pay $40,000–$100,000+ per year.

 

WHAT YOU'LL EARN

• IT Support Specialist — $40,000–$60,000

• Social Media Manager — $45,000–$70,000

• Data Analyst — $55,000–$75,000

• Cybersecurity Analyst — $70,000–$95,000

• UX Designer — $65,000–$90,000

• Advanced Data Scientist — $75,000–$100,000+

See All 20 Career Paths

 

PICK YOUR PATH: START TRAINING TODAY

We've organized certifications into three groups based on what's already free and what we're securing scholarships for.

 

OPTION 1: START FREE TODAY (NO WAIT, NO COST)

These certifications are 100% free right now. You can start training immediately.

 

HUBSPOT DIGITAL MARKETING CERTIFICATION
Platform: HubSpot Academy (academy.hubspot.com)
Career: Digital Marketing Specialist, Marketing Coordinator
Salary: $45,000–$65,000
What You Learn: Email marketing, SEO, content marketing, social media strategy
Time to Complete: 4–6 weeks
Cost: FREE (training + certification exam)
Start Now: Create free HubSpot Academy account and begin today

 

HUBSPOT SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CERTIFICATION
Platform: HubSpot Academy
Career: Social Media Manager, Social Media Coordinator
Salary: $45,000–$70,000
What You Learn: Social strategy, content creation, analytics, community management
Time to Complete: 3–4 weeks
Cost: FREE
Start Now: academy.hubspot.com

 

HUBSPOT CONTENT MARKETING CERTIFICATION
Platform: HubSpot Academy
Career: Content Strategist, Content Marketing Manager
Salary: $50,000–$75,000
What You Learn: Content strategy, storytelling, blogging, video content
Time to Complete: 4–5 weeks
Cost: FREE
Start Now: academy.hubspot.com

 

META BLUEPRINT FREE COURSES (NO CERTIFICATION EXAM COST)
Platform: Meta Blueprint (facebookblueprint.com)
Career: Social Media Specialist, Ads Manager
Salary: $45,000–$70,000
What You Learn: Facebook advertising, Instagram marketing, analytics
Time to Complete: Self-paced, 20+ free courses available
Cost: FREE for all courses (certification exam costs $150, but we're covering it through scholarship applications)
Start Now: facebookblueprint.com

 

MICROSOFT LEARN FREE TRAINING
Platform: Microsoft Learn (learn.microsoft.com)
Career: Cloud Support, IT Professional, Data Analyst
Salary: $50,000–$85,000
What You Learn: Azure cloud, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, data fundamentals
Time to Complete: Self-paced modules
Cost: FREE training (certification exams $99–$165, covered by scholarships we're securing)
Start Now: learn.microsoft.com

 

GOOGLE DIGITAL GARAGE (FREE FUNDAMENTALS)
Platform: Google Digital Garage (learndigital.withgoogle.com)
Career: Digital Marketing Assistant
Salary: $35,000–$50,000
What You Learn: Digital marketing basics, e-commerce, career development
Time to Complete: 40 hours
Cost: FREE with certificate
Start Now: learndigital.withgoogle.com

 

OPTION 2: SCHOLARSHIP-COVERED CERTIFICATIONS (WE PAY, YOU TRAIN)

These certifications have costs, but Help Is Hope is actively applying for scholarships through Google, Coursera, state workforce programs, and corporate partnerships to cover 100% of your expenses. You apply through us, we handle the funding.

 

GOOGLE CAREER CERTIFICATES (10 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES)
Platform: Coursera
How We Cover It: Google Grow with Google Partnership scholarships + Coursera Financial Aid applications (we help you apply)

Careers Available:

• IT Support Professional — $40,000–$60,000

• Data Analyst — $55,000–$75,000

• Project Manager — $60,000–$85,000

• UX Designer — $65,000–$90,000

• Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Specialist — $45,000–$70,000

• Cybersecurity Analyst — $70,000–$95,000

• Business Intelligence Analyst — $65,000–$90,000

• AI Essentials Specialist — $50,000–$75,000

• Advanced Data Analyst — $75,000–$100,000

• IT Automation Specialist (Python) — $65,000–$90,000

Time to Complete: 3–6 months per certificate
Regular Cost: $234–$294 per certificate
Your Cost: $0 (we cover it through scholarships)
 

How to Start: Contact Help Is Hope, we'll enroll you in scholarship program and get you started

 

META SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE
Platform: Coursera
How We Cover It: Coursera Financial Aid (we help you apply, 95% approval rate)
Career: Social Media Manager, Content Strategist
Salary: $45,000–$70,000
Time to Complete: 4–6 months
Regular Cost: $234
Your Cost: $0
How to Start: Contact Help Is Hope for financial aid application support

 

IBM APPLIED AI PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE
Platform: Coursera
How We Cover It: Coursera Financial Aid
Career: Prompt Engineer, AI Content Specialist
Salary: $60,000–$95,000
Time to Complete: 3–5 months
Regular Cost: $234
Your Cost: $0
How to Start: Contact Help Is Hope for enrollment

 

OPTION 3: STATE WORKFORCE FUNDING (IMMEDIATE ELIGIBILITY)

If you're formerly incarcerated, homeless, in recovery, low-income, or facing employment barriers, you likely qualify for California state workforce funding that pays for ALL certification training and exams.

 

WIOA (WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT) INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ACCOUNTS
Eligibility: Formerly incarcerated, homeless, low-income, veterans, people with disabilities
Covers: Training costs, certification exams, books, materials
Careers: Any certification program on approved provider list
How to Apply: Help Is Hope will connect you with Stanislaus Workforce Development and walk you through the application
Your Cost: $0
Processing Time: 2–4 weeks
Start: Contact Help Is Hope at 209-241-1625

 

BREAKING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT GRANTS
Eligibility: Justice-involved individuals, formerly incarcerated, opportunity youth
Covers: Training, certifications, wraparound support, stipends during training
Careers: All tech certifications
How to Apply: Help Is Hope is applying for these grants on behalf of participants
Your Cost: $0
Status: Applications in progress
Start: Contact Help Is Hope to get on the list

 

WHAT MAKES HOPE WORKS DIFFERENT

Everything is online. Train from anywhere, anytime. Go at your own pace.

Peer support available. People with lived experience guide you by phone, video, or in-person.

Mental health resources. Counseling and crisis support available throughout training.

Job placement help. Direct employer connections when you finish.

No barriers. We work with formerly incarcerated, homeless, people in recovery, anyone ready to work.

No hidden costs. If a certification costs money, we find funding to cover it. You never pay.

 

IS THIS FOR ME?

You might be:

• Formerly incarcerated and rebuilding

• In recovery from addiction

• Experiencing homelessness

• Living with mental health challenges

• A veteran looking for a fresh start

• Anyone facing barriers to employment

 

You DON'T need:

• A college degree

• Prior tech experience

• Money upfront

• Perfect attendance

• A clean background

 

You DO need:

• Willingness to learn

• Access to internet (we can help if you don't have it)

• Commitment to finishing what you start

 

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READY TO START?

Step 1: Pick Your Path
Choose from the three options above:

• Start a FREE certification today (Option 1)

• Apply for scholarship-covered training (Option 2)

• Get connected to state workforce funding (Option 3)

 

Step 2: Visit Us
Visit: 140 Calaveras Ave, Modesto, CA 95354

 

Step 3: We'll Guide You
Tell us which certification interests you. We'll handle enrollment, scholarship applications, and connect you with peer support.

 

Step 4: Start Training
Begin your online training immediately (for free options) or within 2 weeks (for scholarship-covered options).

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this really free?
Yes. We're securing scholarships and state workforce funding to cover 100% of certification costs. Some certifications are already free. For others, we handle all the funding applications.

 

Can I really do this all online?
Yes. All training is online. You can study from home, the library, our Hope Headquarters, anywhere with internet. If you don't have internet access, we can help you get connected.

 

What if I don't have a computer?
No problem. We have computers available in our Digital Learning Lab at Hope Headquarters (140 Calaveras Ave, Modesto). You can come in anytime during our hours to use our computers for your training.

 

How long will it take?
Depends on the certification. Free HubSpot courses take 3–6 weeks. Google Career Certificates take 3–6 months. You go at your own pace.

 

Do I have to come to an office?
No. Everything can be done online from anywhere. But peer support is available in-person if you want it, and you're welcome to study in our Digital Learning Lab at 140 Calaveras Ave if you need computers or a quiet place to focus.

 

What if I fail?
You retake it. We support you until you succeed. Most people pass on their second attempt. We're in this with you.

 

Will my criminal record disqualify me?
No. Tech companies are increasingly hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. Many of our employer partners specifically want to give people second chances.

 

Can I do this while homeless?
Yes. Several graduates completed certifications while in transitional housing or shelters. We provide wraparound support to help with housing, food, and other barriers. You can use our Digital Learning Lab if you need a stable place to study.

 

What if I relapse or have a mental health crisis?
Our peer support specialists understand. We've been there. We'll work with you to get back on track when you're ready. Your spot in the program doesn't disappear.

 

How do I know which certification to pick?
Contact us. We'll talk through your interests, strengths, and goals. We'll help you pick the path that fits you best.

 

YOUR NEXT STEP

Don't wait. Start today.

Pick a FREE certification and begin training right now, or contact us to enroll in scholarship-covered programs.

Use our Digital Learning Lab if you need computers or internet access.

Don't know what to pick?

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