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 …

Filed Under: Community, Featured

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 …

Filed Under: Community, Featured

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

Leadership through employee training

September 12, 2011 No Comments
Panasonic employees with certificates of completion from South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Leadership Level 1 Training Program. From left are Jorge Gonzalez, Marco Barrios, Course Instructor Sylvia Soria, Margoth Barrios, Juan C. Briseno, Hugo Zazueta and Rafael Zuniga Jr.

By: David Ramos, STC Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Specialist Several employees of employee outsourcing agency Kelly Management Services and Panasonic have successfully completed the Leadership Level 1 Training Program through South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing. All students received a certificate of completion. Key employees and supervisors from all departments in Panasonic, which are employed through Kelly Management Services, were individually selected to attend the program to develop employee morale and increase productivity. “I learned that … Read More …

Filed Under: Around Campus, Community, Featured

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 …

Filed Under: College News, Community

Group training offers opportunity to enhance region’s advanced manufacturing talent pipeline

April 27, 2011 No Comments
From top row left are Ariana Ocana, Bettcher; Juan Mejia, Wanda Garza, and Mario Reyna, STC; Joe Garza, King’s Prosperity; Dr. Ali Esmaeili, STC; Edi Sanjoto, ALPS; Anthony Shipley, Universal Metal Product; Danny Quiroz GE; Joel Reyes, Motorola Solutions; Sergio Villareal, Humanetics; Marty Fraiser, Motorola Solutions; Luis Zeledon Karlee; Barry Maier, Fujitsu Ten; Mike Willis, Workforce Solutions; Carlos Margo, STC; Nyung Trung and Dennis Schultz, Hi-Tech Plastics; Raul Ruiz, STC; Keith Partridge, MEDC; and Anahid Petrosian, STC. From bottom row left are Angela Kuo, King’s Prosperity; Sequoia A. Coleman, ALPS; Charmaine King, EMU Plastics; Sue Tseng King’s Prosperity; Cynthia Ochoa, Bettcher; Jeanette Stevens, Fujitsu Ten; and Janie Ramos and Megan Davila, MEDC.

Increasing production, quality, performance and the bottom line was the objective of a South Texas College-led employer consortium meeting held at the McAllen Economic Development Corporation’s facilities at the end of March. A group of regional partners met with the goal of gaining support for the Credentials to Degrees Program that would provide employees with a career path for advancement in the region’s advanced manufacturing industry. Eleven companies participated in the consortium meeting where they were presented with the proposed tuition reimbursement program that involved a … Read More …

Filed Under: College News, Community, Featured

Grant will help STC and partners create, upgrade 236 regional jobs

April 15, 2011 No Comments
Dignitaries at the check presentation. From left are City of McAllen Mayor Richard F. Cortez; Workforce Solutions, Lower RGV CEO Bonnie Gonzalez; North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative Executive Officer Wanda Garza; Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia; South Texas College President Shirley A. Reed; Texas Workforce Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar; STC Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Regional Training Manager Carlos Margo; Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Associate Administrator John Rustick; McAllen Medical Center Administrator Ryan Jensen; EMMSA Branch Manager Jose Luis Balleza; UTPA Engineering Intern for Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Max Alvarez; McAllen Economic Development Corporation Vice President of Business Recruitment Janie Ramos; and Metal Processing International President Sam Adkisson.

South Texas College has partnered with a consortium of Rio South Texas businesses to provide job training using a $512,079 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. The business partners include Azteca Milling L.P., Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, EMMSA Co., McAllen Medical Center and Metal Processing International. “This is a great day of celebration for not only the college, but the entire region,” said STC President Shirley A. Reed. “TWC has invested millions of dollars in our region to provide skill training that creates opportunities for employers and … Read More …

Filed Under: Around Campus, College News, Community, Faculty/Staff, Featured, Honors/Awards