The Next Step, Inc.

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United States
Houston, TX
The Next Step, Inc.

The Next Step, Inc is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization chartered in the State of Texas in 1980

Our Services:

Community Outreach Program - We partner with the state of Texas to deliver telecommunication devices to elderly and disabled individuals. Our goal is to improve access to resources that enhance one's well-being. Professional Skills Development - We develop training essential for daily living, career transition, and workforce reentry. Our goal is to reduce unemployment and upskill the underemployed.

10/13/2026

Recently, The Next Step had the opportunity to work with high school students through a career-readiness workshop focused on recognizing strengths, communicating with confidence, and preparing for real workplace situations.

Students explored how experiences from school, volunteering, extracurricular activities, and everyday responsibilities can translate into skills employers value. They also practiced identifying the difference between healthy confidence and behaviors that can make communication less effective during an interview.

A special part of the workshop was seeing our interns help lead the experience. After spending the past several weeks developing their own workplace and emotional intelligence skills, they had the opportunity to help other students put those same ideas into practice.

At The Next Step, Professional Skills Development is about more than preparing a résumé. It is about helping individuals build the practical skills, self-awareness, and confidence needed to find, keep, and grow in meaningful work.

We are grateful for the opportunity to support students as they begin identifying the strengths they already have and learning how to communicate those strengths in the workplace.

10/08/2026

How can technology help people build the skills they need to navigate real workplace challenges?

That question was at the center of our participation in AI for Human Progress, presented by Dell Technologies and TechSoup at Q2 Stadium in Austin.

The event brought together nonprofit and technology leaders to explore practical and responsible ways AI can support community impact. We were grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Nonprofit Innovation Showcase as one of two nonprofits invited to present how we are using AI in our work.

We shared an AI-supported learning experience developed as part of our Emotions at Work training.

The experience gives participants an opportunity to practice responding to realistic workplace situations in their own words. Based on their responses, they receive individualized feedback related to skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and workplace communication.

At The Next Step, our Professional Skills Development programs are designed to help individuals find, keep, and grow in meaningful work through digital training, workplace coaching, and practical tools for long-term success.

For us, AI is another tool that can support that work.

The goal is not simply to introduce new technology. It is to explore how technology can strengthen skills development, create more opportunities for realistic practice, and better prepare individuals for the demands of today’s workplace.

We appreciated the opportunity to learn alongside other organizations exploring these questions and to share a small part of the work happening at The Next Step.
Thank you to Dell Technologies and TechSoup for creating a space for nonprofits to learn, connect, and consider how emerging technology can be used in practical ways to strengthen the communities we serve.

06/04/2026

June is Aphasia Awareness Month

Aphasia is a language disorder that can affect a person’s ability to speak, understand spoken language, read, or write. It is most often caused by a stroke, but it can also result from traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, or other neurological conditions.

Most importantly, aphasia affects communication, not intelligence.

At The Next Step, Inc., we believe communication access matters. Through partnerships with EyeTech Digital Systems, state programs, and local organizations, we help connect eligible individuals with assistive communication technology that supports independence, connection, and quality of life.

For individuals with aphasia or other speech-related disabilities, the right communication tools can help them express needs, participate in daily activities, and reconnect more fully with loved ones.

Read more here:
https://www.thenextsteptx.org/post/aphasia-awareness-month-supporting-communication-connection-and-independence

05/29/2026

The Next Step, Inc. is proud to share that we have been approved as an official vendor for the Texas Education Freedom Account program.

This is an exciting opportunity to help more Texas families access technology that supports education, communication, and independence.

Through the TEFA Marketplace, The Next Step, Inc. will offer digital tools such as laptops, tablets, Chromebooks, hotspots, and home internet routers. Select devices will also include one year of free internet connectivity.

Read the full announcement on our blog:
https://www.thenextsteptx.org/post/the-next-step-inc-proud-to-become-a-texas-education-freedom-account-tefa-vendor

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (832) 534-3821
Website: thenextsteptx.org

05/21/2026

Congratulations, Noah Kuarsingh!

We are proud to celebrate Noah Kuarsingh for completing his Google Cybersecurity Certificate.

This accomplishment represents more than finishing a course. It shows commitment and a willingness to keep building toward a stronger career path.

With this certificate, Noah can begin exploring entry-level opportunities connected to cybersecurity, including roles such as:

Cybersecurity Analyst
Security Analyst
SOC Analyst
IT Security Analyst
Information Security Analyst
Cyber Defense Analyst

These roles help organizations protect networks, identify risks, respond to threats, and keep important data safe.

For Noah, this is an important step forward. It is a step toward stronger skills, new career possibilities, and greater economic mobility.

Congratulations, Noah. We are excited to see where this takes you next.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (832) 534-3821
Website: thenextsteptx.org/psd

05/14/2026

$2,500 in scholarships awarded in the last two months.

At The Next Step, we believe workforce development should create real pathways to economic mobility.

Over the past two months, 4 students have participated in our Professional Skills Development training at no cost through full scholarships.

Each scholarship is valued at $625 and includes hands-on digital skills training, workplace EQ training, access to a Google Career Certificate, and personalized live coaching throughout the process.

These scholarships help remove financial barriers so learners can build practical skills, confidence, and a clearer path toward employment, job retention, and long-term career growth.

We are grateful to support students as they take their next step toward greater opportunity.

Learn more about our Professional Skills Development training:
thenextsteptx.org/psd

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (832) 534-3821

04/30/2026

AI can be a useful tool when it comes to getting ready for work-related moments.

It can help people organize their thoughts, draft talking points, practice responses, and feel more prepared before a meeting, presentation, or difficult conversation.

That kind of support can be valuable.

But once the real moment arrives, AI cannot step in for you.

It cannot read the room.
It cannot help you stay calm under pressure.
It cannot replace the way you listen, respond, adapt, or carry yourself in front of other people.

That is where emotional intelligence still matters.

AI can help with preparation. But the human side of work still shows up most clearly in how we perform when it counts.

At The Next Step, our Professional Skills Development work helps people strengthen both practical digital skills and the communication, self-awareness, and workplace habits that help those skills carry over into real situations.

Email [email protected]
Phone (832) 534-3821
thenextsteptx.org/psd

04/28/2026

Google Career Certificate Focus: Why These Certificates Matter to Employers

One reason Google Career Certificates continue to stand out is that they are designed around real workforce needs.

Google highlights that these programs are built to help learners gain job-ready skills in fields where employers are actively hiring. Google also connects certificate graduates to a broader employer network that includes more than 150 employers.

That does not mean a certificate guarantees a job. But it does mean learners are building skills that are meant to be relevant, practical, and easier to communicate to employers.

At The Next Step, this fits naturally into our Professional Skills Development model. Learners first complete two weeks of online Microsoft Office and workplace emotional intelligence training, then continue into the Google certificate path that best supports their goals.

Learn more: https://grow.google/certificates/

Contact Us:
Email: [email protected]

Phone: (832) 534-3821
Website: Thenextsteptx.org/psd

04/23/2026

AI can help people sound more polished at work. It can improve wording, clean up grammar, and make communication feel more professional.

That can be useful.

But polished is not always the same as human.

At work, communication is not just about sounding smart or well-written. It is also about tone, timing, empathy, and knowing how your message will land with another person.

A message can be clear and still feel cold.
It can be professional and still miss the moment.

That is where emotional intelligence still matters.

AI can help draft the message. But people still need to shape it with judgment, awareness, and a human touch.

At The Next Step, our Professional Skills Development work helps people build both practical digital skills and the workplace communication habits that help those skills translate well in real life.

Email [email protected]
Phone (832) 534-3821
thenextsteptx.org/psd

04/21/2026

Google Career Certificate Focus: Interview Warmup by Google

One of the more practical tools connected to Google Career Certificates is Interview Warmup.

This free Google tool helps people practice answering interview questions in a low-pressure way. It can also give feedback on patterns in your responses, including job-related terms and talking points you may or may not be using.

For many learners, interviewing is one of the hardest parts of the job search. Tools like this can help build confidence before the real interview happens.

At The Next Step, we see this as a strong complement to our Professional Skills Development program, where learners first build workplace readiness through Microsoft Office and emotional intelligence training, then continue into Google-based career learning and tools.

Learn more: https://grow.google/certificates/interview-warmup/

Contact Us:
Email: [email protected]

Phone: (832) 534-3821
Website: Thenextsteptx.org/psd

Address

1500 Dairy Ashford Road, 117
Houston, TX
77077

Website

http://www.thenextsteptx.org/

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