Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement is one of Texas Mutual’s 48 grant recipients from across the state to promote workforce development and foster economic growth in Texas.  

“We are immensely thankful to Texas Mutual for selecting VIDA as one of its grant recipients for workforce development and safety training initiatives.” said VIDA President and CEO Felida Villarreal.  “Equitable career training opportunities and human capital investment must be prioritized during these challenging times for economic mobility of our underserved residents.”

VIDA’s grant project will focus on creating strong pathways for in-demand middle-skill jobs, particularly in the specialized trades, among a variety of industries such as: construction, plumbing, electrical,  manufacturing and more. 

“In the past, there has been a strong drive to promote traditional four-year bachelor’s degrees across the board, while undermining many essential short-term or vocational training programs. However, the reality is numerous occupations within the specialized trades offer competitive employment  opportunities and career pathways for stackable credentials, apprenticeships, and continued professional  growth,” Villarreal said. “The average age of a licensed plumber in Texas is currently 58 years old. This means that as  these plumbers begin retiring at the same time, the RGV region and the entire state of Texas will face a  workforce gap within the plumbing industry. With Texas Mutual’s continued support, VIDA will continue to close workforce gaps.”

About VIDA

For more than 27 years, VIDA has helped more than 6,000 economically disadvantaged Valley residents successfully complete career training programs in target demand occupations and achieve self sufficiency. Last year, VIDA served 534 participants with an average persistence rate of 94 percent and an average annual salary upon graduation of over $45,000.