ValleyCentral — U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling visited Texas Southmost College on Thursday to see how some education programs are getting local workers into the workforce.
Sonderling said it was important to view how the workforce policies being promoted in D.C. are playing out locally in programs such as nursing, pipefitting and law enforcement.
“Real-life programs that are skilling local workers, local students to seize these high-paying, high-skilled opportunities,” Sonderling said. “Students here are really appreciating the hands-on experience they’re getting, being taught not only by those in the community, but also really talking to employers, seeing where the needs are, and getting those specific programs for them so they can enter the workforce quickly, and that they can take advantage of these jobs.”
Sonderling promoted the Workforce Pell Program, which allows community colleges such as TSC to design programs in eight to 15 weeks by speaking with employers and verifying which specific certifications are needed.
“So TSC can go out and say, ‘There’s so many jobs, there’s so many cranes,’” Sonderling said. “‘What are the specific programs you need? What are the specific certifications you need?’ And that’s exactly what they’re doing.”
Sonderling said that students can get financial aid for these certificate-based programs.
