Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – The Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships (CATA) at South Texas College continues its partnership with McAllen Independent School District to prepare the next generation of veterinary professionals in the region.
STC and McAllen ISD announce the second year of a unique apprenticeship program designed to connect students with hands-on training and career opportunities in the growing Veterinary Technology field.
“This is an opportunity for students to get a broad, foundational level of skills that will prepare them for anything related to the veterinary practice. This is for anybody seeking to be a veterinary technician or for those seeking to enter veterinary school,” said Carlos Margo, Ed.D., STC dean of Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships. “There is a high demand for veterinary professionals, especially from nonprofit groups who have reached out to us seeking help with their expanding veterinary services because of the abundance and surge of stray animals. They need students with these skills to meet the growing demand.”
Through the apprenticeship model, students can receive industry experience as well as professional connections and career readiness skills while creating a pathway into veterinary technology careers.
The noncredit program combines classroom instruction with work-based learning experiences at local veterinary clinics, allowing students to gain practical skills while still in high school.
Initially started in Aug. 2025 with a cohort of 10 high school seniors, the apprenticeship now expands to 12 McAllen ISD juniors starting in the fall. STC and McAllen ISD will be working to place the students in local veterinary clinics in the region.
The apprenticeship program will be a combination of on-the-job training and courses that will be taken during the students’ junior and senior year.
McAllen ISD Career and Technical Education Director Leo Saenz, M.Ed., said the partnership reflects the commitment between McAllen ISD and STC to create meaningful career pathways for students while addressing workforce needs across the region.
“We have had a long-standing partnership with STC and we want to continue to grow this apprenticeship even further,” Saenz said. “When the opportunity came to work with the veterinary technician program, we were all open for it because there is a real need for veterinary technicians in our region.”
Saenz said the program was developed after conversations with STC faculty and administrators, including Margo, to identify opportunities that would benefit students and local industry. While many veterinary programs focus primarily on companion animals like dogs and cats, the partnership with the college incorporates large animal experiences through McAllen ISD’s Agricultural Learning Center, or Ag farm.
The center’s farm provides students with opportunities to work with livestock and other animals while developing skills that can be applied in a variety of veterinary settings. During their second year, students gain additional exposure to large-animal care and assist with hands-on activities at the facility.
According to Saenz, the region’s strong agricultural presence and growing demand for veterinary services make the profession an attractive option for students seeking high-demand careers close to home.
“The biggest component is having those students get that hands-on experience and work-based learning experience that everybody looks for,” Saenz said.
CATA Manager Marisol Chavez said the partnership demonstrates STC’s commitment to supporting workforce development while expanding opportunities for local students.
“We are very excited to continue our partnership with McAllen ISD and to support our community by helping prepare students for the high-demand field of Veterinary Technology,” Chavez said. “We are committed to working closely with our industry partners and local school districts to ensure that our programs align with workforce needs to provide meaningful, career-focused opportunities for students.”
Margo said the apprenticeship with McAllen ISD marks an opportunity to work with one of its biggest ISD partners. CATA also currently offers this same program to students at the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) ISD.
“We are extremely excited that McAllen ISD has reached out and has the confidence to partner with STC. This is only the second school district to do so,” he said. “We are very fortunate to work with McAllen and we thank all the supporters of this program.”
For more information on apprenticeship programs available through CATA, visit www.southtexascollege.edu/cata/.
