Texas Border Business
MCALLEN, TEXAS – South Texas College, Hidalgo Independent School District (HISD), and Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) united for a check presentation benefiting student workforce training for careers in manufacturing and healthcare Thursday, March 28.
The purpose of this grant is to provide equipment and instruction for students in manufacturing and pharmacy technology career fields.
TWC awarded over $166,000 for the High Demand Job Training Grant and the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant.
In partnership with TWC and McAllen Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) the $71,520 grant awarded to STC will train 60 incumbent and new workers in industrial maintenance and industrial robotic automation.
South Texas College Chairman of the Board, Paul Rodriguez, says students will directly benefit from this grant.
“These grants provide the foundation for us to expand economic opportunity. To be able to have the infrastructure and equipment set up to initiate that training, is money on the ground. This is the nuts and bolts,” said Rodriguez. “These grants will go towards the equipment which will directly help students with hands-on training.”
Chief Executive Officer for Workforce Solutions, Francisco Almaraz, says TWC is collaborating business and education in the region.
“We partner with a lot of organizations throughout the Rio Grande Valley business, and education primarily,” said Almaraz. “We are trying to align business and education. We work with businesses and try to understand what their needs are to determine which occupations are in demand for students.”
HISD, recipient of the $95,323 JET grant will provide funding for equipment and training for future pharmacy technicians.
Superintendent for Hidalgo ISD, Xavier Salinas, expressed his gratitude for receiving the JET grant.
“We are so happy with the JET grant to begin with. We are going to have 85 kids participate in the pharmacy tech program,” said Salinas. “Once these students are finished with their training, they will be able to be employed at any pharmacy here in the Rio Grande Valley. STC and Hidalgo ISD have a great partnership, and I am very happy about it.”
Speakers at the check presentation included President of South Texas College, Dr. Shirley A. Reed, Chief Executive Officer for Workforce Solutions Francisco Almaraz, and Commissioner Representing Labor for Texas Workforce Commission, Julian Alvarez.
The funding period for this grant is from Dec. 20, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2019.
For more information regarding the manufacturing program and other technology fields at STC, please contact Carlos Margo at 956-872-6109.
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