Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas – Workforce Solutions (WFS) partnered with WFS Cameron, Rio Grande Valley Linking Economic & Academic Development (RGV LEAD) and Region One Education Service Center (Region One ESC) for the 2023 Externship for Teachers Program which provided area educators externship opportunities with local employers to gain first-hand experience in the Healthcare, Construction, Retail, Service, Government and Public Sector industries.
The externship program allowed Rio Grande Valley 8th to 12th grade educators to work alongside business professionals in high-demand and fast-growing industries. There were two cohorts of educators with the first cohort of 16 having participated in a four-day externship, and for the second cohort there was an opportunity to collaborate with the Noble Texas Builders 10-day Externship Program. “Partnering with industry leaders such as Noble Texas Builders, is critical in providing a first-hand experience to our local educators. These connections make learning meaningful for our students by providing our teachers with the necessary tools they can incorporate into their classroom to enhance instruction and student learning,” said Francisco Almaraz, WFS Chief Executive Officer.
At the completion of both cohorts, it was exciting to hear about the educators’ experiences at the work sites and how what they learned helped them to see the real world of work through the eyes of local employers. Patricia Hernandez, a teacher at Los Fresnos ISD, expressed that after teaching in the classroom for 15 years, she recognized the importance of venturing into an industry to acquire current and applicable knowledge to impart to her students. This became especially essential when her students posed the common question, “When will I ever use this information in the future?”
WFS understands that the key to developing future leaders is bridging the gap between education and industry and the message is reinforced by the investment of Noble Texas Builders. Rene Capistran, President, and CEO of Noble Texas Builders stated, “As we look forward to the future, Noble Texas Builders is eager to explore more opportunities for collaboration and innovation with Workforce Solutions. Together, we can continue to strengthen the bridge between education and industry, nurturing a generation of empowered, skilled, and inspired individuals.”
Francisco Almaraz, WFS Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are proud to partner with Noble Texas Builders, WFS Cameron, partners and the local school districts to bring this program to life.”
Workforce Solutions serves as the governing body for the workforce development area that includes Hidalgo,
Willacy, and Starr counties. The primary goal of the WFS Board is to respond to the needs of local employers and workers through locally designed demand-driven workforce development initiatives.
