How the Ready to Work program gave Onesty Hamilton a new career in law enforcement

The first time Onesty Hamilton enrolled in San Antonio College’s First Responders Academy, she failed out of the program a month before graduation.

She had been trying to complete the academy part-time, while still working as a correctional officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

It was her experience working with inmates at the prison that inspired her to seek out a new career in the first place. “You get a feel of how it is once they’re already in,” she said, “but I wanted to see what it was like before they get in.” Hamilton wondered what kind of interactions they had with law enforcement before they were incarcerated. “Can you make a difference and turn them on a different path?” she thought to herself.

She sought out a program that could train her for a new role in law enforcement, and found the First Responders Academy. She signed up for the 9-month part-time program, and soon after found out about another opportunity: San Antonio’s Ready to Work financial assistance. She received a full scholarship.

But when Hamilton failed her coursework, the situation became more complicated. She contacted her Ready to Work case manager, explaining that she wanted to try the program again, full-time, but needed continued financial support. There was money left over from her original scholarship, so Hamilton was able to receive the funds on the condition that she complete the course this time.

Still, there were challenges. Hamilton realized she couldn’t balance full-time work—or, she discovered, even part-time work—alongside the full-time academy, and had to give up working so she could focus and make sure she passed. 

This, of course, presented another financial obstacle. Even with the scholarship, and a supportive husband, who worked hard to make sure she was able to focus on her career journey, Hamilton said her bills were still piling up.

Again, Hamilton turned to her Ready to Work case manager, who connected her to the resources she needed. Between Ready to Work and the Student Advocacy Center on campus, she received gas cards, as well as money for food and other bills.

Hamilton credits these two programs with allowing her to stay focused in class, and receive the support she needed without having to rely on outside agencies.

Fully immersed in the academy, Hamilton learned a wide range of things that she felt would enable her to keep her community safe. The highlight of the course for her was a crisis intervention training, where she learned to effectively communicate with someone during a high-stress situation. 

All the while, Hamilton was applying to police departments where she might work after graduation, with the hope that one would sponsor and pay her during the academy. She applied to a few departments, but didn’t get any leads. “That’s not where I was destined to be,” she said.

When the Alamo Colleges District Police Department recruited her, she decided to give it a shot and apply. She was impressed that, throughout the whole application process, they kept in touch with her frequently. She felt she wasn’t just another number to them.

Hamilton graduated from the academy in December, and started her new role as an officer at the ACPD in January. She’s working toward her original goal of keeping people out of the prison system, but she recognizes it will be a long journey but realizes she "won’t be able to save everybody.” 

In the meantime, she’s become involved in recruiting the next generation. “I just want to share my experience, share my story,” she said. 

She’s also a strong advocate for taking advantage of the financial assistance available across the Alamo Colleges. “Use the resources. Don’t be too proud,” she said. Whether it was help with food, bills or even mental counseling, Hamilton said she would not have made it through the academy without the support from those resources and her family.