Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
South Texas College has been awarded a $100,000 Safety Education Grant from Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, to support the college’s workplace safety training.
Texas Mutual has given the college over $300,000 in grants over the last few years to expand trainings that reskill and upskill regional employees, like those from Red Sun Farms.
With employee safety a top priority for Red Sun Farms in Pharr, company owners found a perfect match in the STC Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships obtain safety trainings that have minimized on-the-job accidents and injuries.
The trainings completed – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 and 30, were free of charge for Red Sun Farms thanks to the Safety Education Grant.
“The trainings we have participated in through STC have served their purpose. We have not experienced an incident or accident since getting our employees up to date and trained,” said Red Sun Farms Human Resources Manager Lili Delie. “What STC offers has a huge impact on our industry and we continue working hand-in-hand with the college to seek other training opportunities. Free, discounted or full price, STC will remain our training provider.”
Red Sun Farms is one of the largest vertically-integrated, high-tech greenhouses in North America to own and operate farms in Canada, Mexico and the United States, providing fresher produce to its retail partners.
Since 1999, Texas Mutual has awarded over $14 million in safety education grants to Texas colleges like STC. Their funding helps promote safe work environments and ensure Texas employees get home safely to their families.
“Texas Mutual recognizes the essential contribution made by Texas community college partners in educating local workforces and helping to further our mission to build a stronger, safer Texas,” said Eric Bourquin, vice president of safety services at Texas Mutual. “For more than two decades, our dedication to these colleges and their communities has been demonstrated through grant funding. The ongoing education of Texas employees is something we are immensely proud to invest in and support.”
STC’s Safety Education Grant provides free or discounted trainings in various areas such as OSHA general industry and construction, industrial truck operator, personal protective equipment (PPE) and first aid/CPR, among others.
STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D., said the grants have been a welcome and tremendous opportunity for the college and regional industries.
“This grant allows us to provide essential workforce training, ensuring that employees across South Texas can work in safer environments,” said Solis. “By equipping local industries with the knowledge and skills to improve safety standards, we are not only enhancing workplace well-being but also contributing to the long-term success and growth of our region.”
This partnership has now helped STC train more than 200 employees from numerous industries throughout the region.
For more information on safety trainings through STC’s Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships, visit southtexascollege.edu/cata.
