While most high school seniors are navigating the stress of college applications and prom planning, a select group of students is already studying property law, analyzing housing markets, and preparing to become licensed realtors before they even graduate.
Through the P-TECH program, these students are not just earning high school diplomas; they are working toward an associate’s degree from Austin Community College (ACC) and a professional real estate license.
Job Hammond, an Associate Professor and Assistant Department Chair of Real Estate & Finance at ACC, has observed the transformation students go through in the program.
“I do see a notable difference in the students who enter the program during their freshman or sophomore year compared to the capable young adults they become by their senior year,” Hammond said.
John Rodriguez, the Akins Real Estate program coordinator, has witnessed this growth firsthand, especially in students who start off shy but find their voice through the curriculum.
“There are a few seniors, for example, that when they started freshman year, they were really quiet. They blossomed as seniors,” Rodriguez said. “They’re very outspoken, they advocate for themselves, and I’ve seen them being able to interact with adults.”
The curriculum is demanding. To meet the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) requirements for licensure, students take at least five specific courses, including Real Estate Principles, Law of Contracts, and Real Estate Finance. However, the program emphasizes that technical knowledge is only half the battle.
“Soft skills are essential for most functions in the real estate profession,” Hammond said. “The way you communicate with others and how others perceive you will either help or hinder your career growth.”
For Rodriguez, this focus on soft skills is what distinguishes the program from standard high school courses.
“It’s about skills, skills, skills—not just memorizing what’s on an algebra test or memorizing what’s on a history test,” Rodriguez said. “They need to understand that there’s life outside high school.”
To bridge the gap between the classroom and the workforce, the program partners with ACC to offer a course called “Strategies for Today’s Jobs,” where students learn to craft resumes and master interview techniques. Rodriguez also ensures students get off-campus experience, organizing field trips to new housing developments and downtown Austin to study gentrification.
“Now we have a nice, healthy balance of Austin Community College work, industry-based, work-based learning experiences where they go into the field and learn from experts,” Rodriguez said.
For sophomore Leisy Tonche-Lira, the program has been a lesson in professionalism and the stark realities of the industry. She noted that many peers come in with misconceptions about the field.
“Some misconceptions that I’ve seen in the program are that a lot of people think that being in the real estate industry is easy money, but in reality, it all depends on what you sell and when you sell it,” she said. “You could go months without making money.”
Sophomore Genesis Johnson said her favorite topic so far has been the Realtor Code of Ethics. She said it has reshaped her understanding of agents’ responsibilities. She described learning how to handle sensitive situations, such as clients requesting homes in neighborhoods based on demographics—a request that violates fair housing laws.
“There are a lot of things that you can do or say that could potentially… offend a customer,” Johnson said. Like, there could be times when a customer will ask you to find a location where, for example, Hispanics could be located, but you can’t purposefully find a location where they are… and you could get your license taken away.”
This depth of understanding is Hammond’s goal.He admits that the gap between learning the concepts and legally practicing them can be tough for high schoolers. “You simply cannot pretend to be a real estate agent until you actually are one,” Hammond said.
To address this, he encourages students to engage early by building a social media presence, attending conferences, and networking. The aim is to ensure that whether students start selling homes or transfer to a four-year university, they are prepared.
“No matter what path a student chooses, they should know that the real estate department at ACC is here to help,” Hammond said.
For Johnson, the path is clear. She plans to take her license with her as she moves forward, seeing the program as a solid foundation for her career.If you are good with customers and can sell with a personality, that will make you a lot of money,” Johnson said. “I think it would be a good start to a professional career.”
For Hammond, watching students like Johnson succeed makes his job worthwhile.
“This job, supporting the Akins students, is the most personally rewarding thing I have ever done,” Hammond said. “What I love to see is students making real progress toward their own personal goals, whether that be earning a certificate, getting a degree, transferring into the university they want, or entering the workforce.”
