Public-private collaborations to build a workforce for the future have picked up speed in recent years amidst growing concerns that some skills needed to prosper are lagging behind advancements in technology. Electric cars whizzing around at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour offer a recent example of how some young people in the Rio Grande Valley are looking forward. Thirty-one teams representing middle schools, high schools and colleges…
The Iwo Jima Monument towers over the Marine Military Academy parade grounds in Harlingen, an iconic symbol of one of the fiercest battles of World War II and the final resting place of a Rio Grande Valley Marine depicted in the sculpture and later killed in the battle. Across Iwo Jima Boulevard is the main gate to the 141-acre MMA campus, where for more than 50 years teenagers have learned…
It takes time and money, but there are enough people in the Rio Grande Valley in pursuit of a pilot license to keep two full-time flight instructors busy at McCreery Aviation Flight Academy at McAllen Miller International Airport. “It’s a process,” said chief flight instructor Mike Garza. “You’ve got to study, you’ve got to learn and you’ve got to have the time.” McCreery Aviation is a full-service general aviation center…
The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley a $249,992 grant for the NSF INCLUDES Symposium for ADVANCING STEM Latinas in Academic Careers. The federal funds will be made available to UTRGV on Aug. 1. The funding allows UTRGV to place emphasis on increasing the number of Latinas in STEM workforce areas. The NSF symposium will provide a national platform to discuss and address the issues that affect…
The Texas Workforce Commission has kicked off its 2018 Summer Earn and Learn program which provides students with disabilities with both work readiness training and paid work experience. The program is a partnership between TWC, Texas Workforce Solutions Offices and Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Last year, more than 1,500 students, ages 16-22, participated in Summer Earn and Learn. They worked in positions such as design graphics assistants, customer service representatives…
The Women in Technology event takes place April 19 at the South Texas College Technology Campus Atrium, highlight careers in technology considered as non-traditional for females. The event will include information booths from programs in the Business, Public Safety, and Technology divisions. This includes Fire Science, Police Academy, Engineering Design, Culinary Arts and Construction. STC Information Technology Program instructor and event organizer Angelita Teniente says events like this are crucial for women who…
Valley Technical Academy and Woz U are working together via an online learning portal to address the diversity gap in tech employment when it comes to Hispanics. According to Valley Technical Academy, only seven percent of the tech sector is comprised of Hispanics. Through this partnership, the Mission-based center will provide Woz U’s tech-based curriculum in immersive education sprint formats. This format enables students to learn skills required to enter a…
A group of undergraduate business students from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley recently beat out more than 500 teams from 37 countries to capture their first ever championship win in the 15th annual CME Group Trading Challenge. Christopher Martinez of McAllen, Michael Villarreal of Rio Grande City and Jose Naveja of Progreso finished the competition with a total of $706,585. They beat out second-place competitor Kansas State University, who…
For the first time in more than a decade, Education and Training students from Texas State Technical College participated in the recent SkillsUSA competition hosted at the college and are headed to state competitions in April. “We are so excited and proud of our students,” said Education and Training Lead Instructor Myriam Aguila. “They have worked so hard and deserve this recognition. They have had quite the experience.” SkillsUSA is…
More than 750 high school level Computer Science enthusiasts converged on the HPE campus in Houston last weekend to participate in CodeWars 2018. CodeRGV was in attendance to learn more about the program and to build a stronger partnership with school districts across the state. In addition, the group learned how Valley school districts can participate in future HPE events like this one. The students, representing close to 100 districts across…