Texas Border Business
AUSTIN ⎯ South Texas College (STC) has partnered with a Healthcare Consortium to provide job training for 2,961 new and incumbent workers using a $2,602,165 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The grant will benefit workers in the Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley area.
“Through local partnerships, this skills development grant will build on the investment of future healthcare professionals in the community with customized training resources and providing advanced opportunities for highly skilled workers in the Rio Grande Valley,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez.
“High wage-high skill jobs are critical to improving regional prosperity and a better quality of life for Valley families,” said South Texas College President Dr. Shirley A. Reed. “This $2.6 million Texas Workforce Commission grant will fund workforce training to upgrade the skills, wages, and career advancement opportunities for 2,961 healthcare professionals and will create 849 new jobs in the healthcare industry.”
With the development of a certified nursing assistant training lab, healthcare organizations will have skilled workers in ever-advancing medical technology fields. As part of the project, customized training will provide 2,961 new and incumbent workers in the healthcare profession with medical training such as nursing, pathophysiology, pharmacology, ophthalmic, emergency, cardiovascular, pediatric care, medical billing and coding. Trainees will include cardiac, catheterization, laboratory, radiology, operating room, hyperbaric chamber, sonographer, emergency room, hemodialysis, interventional, MRI, engineering technicians; nursing assistants, vocational nurses and physical rehab aides. Upon completion of training, the workers will receive an average wage of $20.49.
“Today South Texas College was awarded funding that facilitates the education and training of our healthcare professionals and support staff who help our hospital achieve excellence – every patient, every encounter, every time,” stated DHR Chief Administrative Officer and Chairman of the Board Dr. Carlos Cardenas. “This funding clearly represents foresight on behalf of TWC, and is an example of a partnership that will drive the transformation and innovation coming in health care education and research.”
The Skills Development Fund grant program is celebrating 20 years of success as the state’s premier training program in 2015-16. The fund was initiated by the Texas Legislature in September of 1995, and first began awarding contracts in 1996. During that time the Skills Development Fund grants have created or upgraded more than 329,333 jobs throughout Texas. The grants have assisted 4,141 employers with their customized training needs. The Legislature allocated $48.5 million to the Skills Development Fund for the 2016-17 biennium. Employers seeking more information about the Skills Development Fund may visit the TWC website at www.texasworkforce.org/skills.
