Santana Textiles, STC partner to train 330 workers adding fuel to Valley economy

May 22, 2012 No Comments
A the TWC Skills Development Grant presentation in Edinburg are from left Dr. Alejo Salinas Jr., Member of South Texas College’s Board of Trustees; Mayor of the City of Edinburg Richard Garcia; Texas House District 40 Representative Aaron Pena; Texas Workforce Commissioner Representing Employers Tom Pauken; Wanda Garza, Executive Officer of the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative; Santana Textiles CEO James Michael Aiken; Texas District 15 Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa; Workforce Solutions CEO Bonnie Gonzalez; Dr. Shirley A. Reed, STC President; Claudio Motta, Operations Director for Santana Textiles; Texas District 36 Representative Sergio Munoz Jr.; Silas Rocha, Administration Director for Santana Textiles; and Lilvette Santos, EHS Manager for Santana Textiles.

Santana Textiles has partnered with South Texas College to provide job training using a $600,313 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). In early May, TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Tom Pauken presented a check to South Texas College President Shirley A. Reed and representatives from Santana Textiles at a special ceremony at the City of Edinburg City Hall Council Chambers. “TWC makes these grants available each year, helping hundreds of Texas employers and thousands of workers succeed,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Tom Pauken. … Read More …

Filed Under: Around Campus, College News, Community, Featured

STC, Regal Beloit partner to offer executive training

March 22, 2012 No Comments
Vice President of Learning for Regal Beloit’s Packard Learning Center Fritz Hollenbach (left) and Director of Advanced Manufacturing Technology for Regal Beloit’s Packard Learning Center Vijay Chahar (right) with TWC Commissioner Andres Alcantar.

South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing recently hosted a three-day training seminar for members of the leadership team for internationally acclaimed manufacturer, Regal Beloit. The company, which specializes in electrical and motion control products for several industries, recently opened manufacturing operations in McAllen. “Because of our location in McAllen, we hoped to create great partnerships in the community,” said Fritz Hollenbach, vice president for learning for Regal Beloit’s Packard Learning Center. “We wanted to construct a training for some of the … Read More …

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TWC commissioner, STC leaders visit WoodCrafters

December 9, 2011 No Comments
Shown at WoodCrafters headquarters are (seated) Mariluz Lugo, Dr. Shirley A. Reed, Bonnie Gonzalez, Teresa Rodriguez (WoodCrafters Corporate Social Responsibility manager), (standing) Rick Barr, Mike Willis, David Suarez, Hernan Gonzalez, Bob Stewart, Ronald G. Congleton, Wanda Garza, Carlos Margo, Eric Piater and Samuel Lugo, (WoodCrafters executive vice president of finance).

Staff from WoodCrafters Home Products of Weslaco recently hosted a special plant tour for Ronald G. Congleton of the Texas Workforce Commission. Congleton, the commissioner representing labor, was in Weslaco on Nov. 10 to present a TWC Skills Development Fund Grant to a consortium comprised of South Texas College, WoodCrafters and Rio Grande Container.  Prior to the grant announcement, Congleton joined STC leaders and other guests for the tour of the WoodCrafters plant. Rick Barr, executive vice president of human capital, gave the group an overview of the company. Other presentations were … Read More …

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ALPS employees earn national certifications

September 21, 2011 No Comments
At the NIMS credentialing ceremony at STC’s Technology Campus. From front row left are Ulysses Chavez Medrano and Jose Antonio Garza of ALPS Automotive. From back row left are STC IAM Regional Manager Carlos Margo, STC IAM NIMS Instructor Douglas Schelbert, NAAMREI Executive Officer Wanda Garza, ALPS Automotive Tooling Engineer Feroz Ummer and ALPS Automotive Training Manager Fernando Gomez.

By: David Ramos, Training Specialist for South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Two engineers from ALPS Automotive of Reynosa, Mexico have been recognized by South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing for earning their National Institute for Metal Working Skills (NIMS) certifications as Level 1 Machinist. Ulysses Chavez Medrano and Jose Antonio Garza, both ALPS Automotive Tool Room employees, earned their NIMS certification through a rigorous 160 hour lab and lecture course developed by STCs IAM in McAllen. The certifications earned are … Read More …

Filed Under: Academics, Around Campus, Community, Featured, Honors/Awards

Master planning begins for Rio South Texas research, education park

May 2, 2011 No Comments

A research and education park for the Rio South Texas region is becoming a reality now that the master planning process is underway. Broaddus Planning of Austin is expected to complete the master plan by fall 2011. The park will be located on 400 acres of public and private land near the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone. Located across from Reynosa, Mexico, it is one of the nation’s most active trade zones. The driving force behind the park is a subcommittee made-up of affiliates of the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative (NAAMREI). Sixty business, … Read More …

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Future of manufacturing clear in Rio South Texas

September 30, 2010 No Comments

Amid concerns over the state of the U.S. economy, one thing remains certain. The future of manufacturing in the Rio South Texas Region is set to thrive. The region, comprised of seven counties on the Texas/Mexico border from Brownsville to Laredo, is still seeing continued interest in growth in the sector. “Manufacturing has been a core component of regional business for two decades, with the ‘maquilladora’ (twin plant) model providing more than 174,232 skilled labor jobs on both sides of our border,” said Keith Patridge, a member of the leadership team for the North American … Read More …

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NAAMREI members celebrate another successful year

April 7, 2010 No Comments
Members of NAAMREI celebrate another successful year of operations at a recent networking event in March 2010. From left are Director of the Laredo Community College Economic Development Center Jose Reyes; Regional Manager of South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Carlos Margo; Associate Dean of the College of Science and Engineering and Director of the School of Engineering and Computer Science for The University of Texas-Pan American Miguel Gonzalez; McAllen Economic Development Corporation President Keith Patridge; LLC Chief External Affairs and Economic Development Officer Blas Castaneda; Texas Workforce Investment Council Administrative Officer Raul Ortiz; UTPA President Robert Nelsen; City of McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez; STC President Shirley Reed; Director of the UTPA Rapid Response Manufacturing Center John Lloyd; NAAMREI Executive Officer Wanda Garza; STC Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Diana Pena; PSJA School District CATE Director J.J. Seanz; STC Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management William Serrata; and Workforce Solutions President Bonnie Gonzalez.

Members of the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative (NAAMREI) celebrated another successful year of operations at a recent networking event in March 2010. Members from companies, colleges, school districts and businesses from across the eight counties represented by the consortium attended to share success stories and plan for another year of developing the region’s rapid response manufacturing infrastructure. “The 2009/2010 academic year was another success with a variety of benchmarks being met,” said Wanda Garza, executive director for NAAMREI. … Read More …

Filed Under: Academics, College News, Community, Featured

Welding training effective for GE Engines Services McAllen

February 9, 2010 No Comments
IAM Welding Instructor Joe Acosta (right) tests a GE employee in various welding positions as required by GE Engines Services McAllen.

By: David Ramos, Training Specialist for South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing GE Engine Services of McAllen has significantly increased its enrollment in South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Welding Program. Why? The highly technical skills taught through the program have proven to be extremely effective on the manufacturing floor at GE Engines. “We customize some of the welding courses to fit GE’s needs and focus the instruction on T-joints, butt welds, full penetration and stringer beads on corner joints,” said Joe Acosta, … Read More …

Filed Under: Around Campus, Community, Featured