BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Earlier this week the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service posted a story on how the Tri-Agency Regional Convener’s Pathways Leadership Advisory Board will help the Upper Valley.
In this story we focus on how it will help the Lower Valley.
Pat Hobbs is executive director of Workforce Solutions Cameron. He said that for the next two years, the Board will meet quarterly to draft a Regional Strategic Plan, support the development of a Regional Pathway System, create work-based learning opportunities and establish data infrastructure and communication.
As with stakeholder groups in the Upper Valley, the Lower Valley pulled in $600,000 in state dollars for its part of the project.
“Cameron County has a grant just like Hidalgo County does. So, as soon as they were awarded their money, I called Danny (King) at Region One (Education Service Center) and said, look, it only makes sense that we do this regionally. Separately, we're not going to be as effective,” Hobbs said. “I said, let’s do this Valley-wide. And Danny’s a smart man. He agreed that it makes sense to work regionally.”
The Tri-Agency, established by Governor Greg Abbott in 2016, brings the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) together to support economic growth across the state.
“Because we have agreed to work regionally, I now sit on their (the Upper Valley’s) board and Dr. Eliza Alvarado (of Region One) sits on my steering committee,” Hobbs explained. “And, you know, it's working out just fine. We're right on schedule. Both of us got $600,000 and what we're doing is identifying the gaps in the workforce and trying to fix them.”
Hobbs acknowledged that all of this should have happened many years ago.
“It should have been done ten or 12 years ago, but we did not have the resources. Now we’ve got the resources. So it's exciting. It may be the last big project that I work on (before I retire), but it's an important one.”
Hobbs said Gov. Abbott deserves credit for putting the three agencies, TEA, THECB, and TWC together to help connect the world of education with the world of industry.
“They've done a good job of responding. You know we saw it during the pandemic. They saw a need for childcare, they loaded it up and we fixed it. We kept childcare running, so that the policemen and firemen and everybody would have their kids taken care of while they went to work,” Hobbs said.
“But, they've also done a good job with apprenticeships. They've done a good job with events like this, with internship programs. They (the state’s leadership) are very supportive of workforce development and they give us the funding. You know that's how they show their support. They give us the money to operate.”
The event Hobbs was referring to was Rally In the Valley, an event co-hosted by TWC and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation to encourage Brownsville students to think about internships. Hundreds of students from various Brownsville schools packed the Brownsville Events Center to learn more about the possibility of securing an internship.
“The Tri-Agency group has been really beneficial. It was a long time coming, but it was a very smart idea,” Hobbs said.
Asked what the timeframe is for identifying the skills gaps that the Valley is missing, Hobbs said: “Two years. And if we are successful, either one of us or both (Upper Valley and Lower Valley), then we get to apply as the convener. And that comes with millions of dollars to continue the process.”
Hobbs pointed out that the two $600,000 grants will only allow stakeholders to look at two or three industries, and two or three occupations within those industries.
“So we'll identify them and see where the gaps are and learn how to fix them. But that's just teaching us how to do it for all the occupations that are out there. It needs to be a continuing process.”
Asked if there was anything else he would like to say about the work of the Tri-Agency Regional Convener’s Pathways Leadership Advisory Board, Hobbs said: “No, not really, but I can say everybody's working hard. Workforce, the Texas Workforce Commission, TEA, the Coordinating Board, everybody is working together. I think there's a lot of realization of what we need to do to build our workforce to attract new industries. And we're working together to get it done.”
