WESLACO, Texas - The entities behind a Skills for Sustainability (S4S) project are hoping it can be just as successful in the Rio Grande Valley as it has been in the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez metropolitan region.
The S4S project has been developed by The Trust for the Americas and funded by the North American Development Bank. Training in Level 1 Wastewater Operations and Heavy Equipment Operations will primarily be conducted in the Rio Grande Valley by South Texas College.
“At NADBank, we are honored to join with The Trust for the Americas, the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, and South Texas College to launch the Skills for Sustainability water workforce development initiative that delivers real opportunity for our communities,” said John Beckham, Managing Director of the Bank. “Building on the proven success of our El Paso–Juárez pilot, this expanded effort in the Rio Grande Valley will accelerate economic mobility, close critical workforce gaps in the water sector, and equip local residents with the skills needed to sustain the region’s infrastructure and long-term growth.”
NADBank says that in El Paso, S4S partnered with local educational institutions and public utilities to train and place workers in water and wastewater operations, helping El Paso Water close its gap in filling entry-level positions, while creating stable employment pathways for participants from low-income backgrounds.
To date, S4S has graduated 431 participants from the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez metropolitan region, with 90% of graduates securing full-time employment or pursuing higher education. The S4S project's successful model has since expanded to include specialized SCADA operator training, confirming its scalability and adaptability.
A Water Workforce Grant Workshop was held at the offices of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership on March 3. The workshop was designed for individuals and organizations based in the Valley who are interested in learning about grant opportunities linked to S4S. Participants learned how local entities can benefit from available resources, build strategic partnerships, and contribute to building a sustainable future for water operations in the Valley.
Among those represented at the workshop were the cities of Donna, Lyford, and San Juan; water supply and irrigation entities such as North Alamo Water Supply Corporation, El Jardin Water Supply Corporation, Brownsville Irrigation District, and Delta Lake Irrigation District; economic development corporations from McAllen, Edinburg, Elsa, and Weslaco; and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Workforce Solutions, and the Port of Brownsville.
Julian Alvarez, director of business development for Lone Star National Bank, previewed the Water Workforce Grant Workshop when he participated in an economic development meeting hosted by Hidalgo County at UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Center for Innovation & Commercialization.
Here is what Alvarez, a former commissioner for the Texas Workforce Commission, had to say:
After the Water Workforce Grant Workshop ended, the RGG Business Journal interviewed Paco Sanchez, president and CEO of the RGV Partnership. Here is the interview:
The RGG Business Journal also interviewed Carlos Margo, dean of advanced training and apprenticeships at South Texas College. Here is the interview:
The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.
