FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE:             January 11, 2019

CONTACT:     Mike Gonzalez

PHONE:         956.332.9741

E-MAIL:         mikeg@wfsolutions.org

South Texas College Receives Job-Training Grants Totaling Over $1.3 Million for Healthcare and Technology Training

Three JET Grants to help create new opportunities for jobs and education

McAllen, TX – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded South Texas College three individual grants on Friday, Jan. 11: a $249,096 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant; a $655,153 Skills Development Fund (Skills) grant to a health care consortium; and a $409,890 Skills grant to a manufacturing consortium. The grants will benefit workers in the Workforce Solutions areas of Lower Rio Grande Valley, Middle Rio Grande, and South Texas.

The $249,096 JET grant will help the college purchase and install equipment to provide 1,322 students with training for careers in the information technology field as computer, networking, and cyber security specialists.

In addition, local grant partners are collaborating with South Texas College to provide job training using Skills grants from TWC. A health care consortium, consisting of McAllen Medical Center; McAllen Heart Hospital; Edinburg Regional Medical Center; Edinburg Children’s Hospital; Cornerstone Regional Hospital; STHS ER at Mission; STHS ER at Weslaco; Doctors Hospital of Laredo; and Fort Duncan Medical Center and Women’s Center, will use a $655,153 grant to provide custom training to 1,167 new and incumbent workers in the health care and social assistance industry. Examples of trainees to include: echo technicians, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, mammography technicians, emergency room technicians, housekeepers, CNAs and more. Upon completion of training, the workers will receive an average hourly wage of $31.32.

Workforce Solutions works with all schools, colleges, and universities within Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties to help increase their technical capacities. If you’re interested in learning more about the JET grant or Skills grant, contact us at 956-687-1121.

TWC Grant Award Check Presentation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE:           December 17, 2018

CONTACT:    Mike Gonzalez

PHONE:         956.332.9741

E-MAIL:         mikeg@wfsolutions.org

Lower Rio Workforce Solutions Board Awarded $80,000 in Funding

Funding Will Be Utilized in Programs to Serve the Community

McAllen, TX – Workforce Solutions was awarded a combined total of $80,000 for outstanding performance in the Texas HireAbility, Claimant Reemployment, and Industry Sector Outreach programs on November 28, 2018. The Annual Texas Workforce Conference showcases the initiatives and programs being implemented by workforce boards across the state and gives boards the opportunity to share proven practices with each other to promote optimal performance.

Mercedes native and Chairman of the Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Board, Jaime Ortiz, says that the awards are representative of the board’s commitment to collaboration. “A team that works together is able to accomplish a lot, and that’s what we have here. The Lower Rio board goes to great lengths to ensure that the needs of the community are being addressed, whether it be by helping job seekers secure employment or providing child care assistance to families in need.”

“Each year, our dedicated staff make a difference within their community through their work,” says Workforce Solutions Lower Rio CEO Francisco Almaraz of the board’s continued success at the annual conference. “We’re thrilled that our efforts were recognized and are eager to utilize the funding to better our community.“

Workforce Solutions has proudly served the Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties, providing a variety of services for job seekers, employers, students and others. We are located in Weslaco, Mission, Raymondville, Rio Grande City, and Edinburg.

Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley Workforce Development Board d.b.a. Workforce Solutions poses with awards.

Photo credit: James Edward

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE:            August 17, 2018­

CONTACT:    Mike Gonzalez

PHONE:         956.332.9741

E-MAIL:         mikeg@wfsolutions.org

Workforce Solutions JOBS Program Gives Juveniles a Fresh Start

Graduating Cadets Gain Valuable Skills, Experience, and Employment

Weslaco, TX – The Mario E. Ramirez Juvenile Justice Center graduated four cadets who participated in the Juvenile Opportunity for Better Skills (JOBS) program today. A collaboration between Workforce Solutions and the Judge Mario E. Ramirez Juvenile Justice Center, the JOBS program is designed to help youth ages 16-18 and engage them in a positive work environment to help make their transition into the workforce as seamless as possible.

The program provides a platform for juvenile cadets to use the soft skills they learned through Workforce Solutions Job Readiness Training. The youth received 12 hours of soft skills training in Workplace Etiquette, Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution, Interview Skills, Coping with Stress, and Financial Literacy and Time Management to better prepare them for success in the workplace.

The students have been placed in employment and are currently participating in the Workforce Solutions work experience program. Workforce Solutions would like to thank Judge Mario E. Ramirez, Jr., 332nd State District Court, Judge Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt, 449th State District Court Judge Israel Ramon, Jr., 430th State District Court, and Judge Keno Vasquez, 398th State District Court, for their support and outstanding commitment to helping positively shape the lives of our juvenile youth.

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. The JOBS Program, federally funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), takes that goal and applies it to youth gearing up to enter the workforce.

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