(RED OAK) – Members of Midlothian Economic Development recently toured Texas State Technical College in North Texas to learn about technical education.
“The short drive to the facility is a value to our existing industry and new businesses looking to expand to Midlothian,” said Larry S. Barnett, president and chief executive officer of Midlothian Economic Development, the city’s growth and economic arm. “Having the hands-on equipment in the machine shops and qualified program leaders brings credibility for economic development as we demonstrate the ongoing efforts to educate the workforce and provide a trained workforce to industry.”
Some of Midlothian’s industries focus on steel manufacturing, retail distribution, cement production and auto processing.
“Midlothian Economic Development relies on training through the Skills Development Fund to benefit both existing and new companies,” Barnett said. “Our goal is to expand the use of these funds to more industry, and TSTC will play an important role in this effort.”
Midlothian and TSTC have forged a valuable alliance in Ellis County.
Gerdau Ameristeel on Ward Road is one of the city’s largest employers. The company sends workers to study industrial maintenance at the Red Oak campus. And, Midlothian High School students have visited the campus in the past for Program Highlight Day.
“Our ultimate goal is to place more Texans, and working closely with organizations like Midlothian Economic Development helps us accomplish that,” said Jessica Ford, a field development officer for The TSTC Foundation. “A strong, skilled and highly trained workforce is a key component to economic growth, so we are hoping to be able to work closely with all the economic development councils to build the workforce they need for their local economies.”
Midlothian had at least 22,000 residents in 2015, with more than 90 percent of them having at least a high school diploma, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. About 70 percent of the civilian labor force is 16 and older, according to the census bureau. The city’s median household income was $74,881 as of 2015, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.