West Central Texas Workforce Development Board Inc

Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development Program (RPED)- Long-term outcomes of the program are to increase enrollment of rural students in postsecondary education and training programs, increase persistence and completion of rural students in postsecondary education and training programs, and increase high school CTE programs aligned with postsecondary education that lead to high demand, high-wage jobs in West Central Texas.

The Advance Together Program includes participation in awareness events for students and educators through a variety of events including teacher externships, student tours, classroom presentations, participation in events such as the World of Work Youth Expo and HLC Planning for College and Career Events. Hosted focus groups with targeted populations including people of color, justice-involved, young adults, rural residents, immigrants, and unemployed/underemployed individuals to explore perceptions of manufacturing. In conjunction with employers and higher education partners, developed a short-term manufacturing readiness curriculum to introduce adults to basic concepts common across manufacturing to increase awareness of careers in manufacturing.

Trellis: Collaborated with TRIO Electric, TransfrVR, West Central Texas Adult Education and Literacy, Workforce Solutions, local employers and local community and faith-based organizations to pilot an Electrical Construction Rapid Training Program. The 7 week program used a combination of virtual reality technology and on-line learning to prepare adult learners to obtain an OSHA 10 certification and skills necessary to obtain employment in electrical construction. Supported short-term automotive technology training in conjunction with Cisco College and Abilene Automotive Education Alliance, a voluntary organization of local employers in the automotive industry. Continued work on developing models for short-term training to facilitate more rapid entry into quality career pathways.

Various other support programs