(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College in partnership with a Manufacturing Consortium, including PRISM Plastics Inc., a plastics injection molding service, and Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc., an abrasives manufacturing company, recently received a $197,253 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

“Because of this training we have seen an increase in productivity because of an increase of skills,” said PRISM Plastics Inc. Human Resources Director Rosie Hernandez. “We thank TSTC, TWC for everything they have done and for our continued partnership.”

With this grant, TSTC has been able to provide custom training to more than 100 employees from PRISM Plastics Inc. in Harlingen and Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. in Brownsville.

Training has consisted of industry-related topics such as programmable logic controls, hazardous materials and motor theory.

“This is great news for our employees,” said Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. Human Resources Director Kip Patterson. “With continual changes in industry and technology moving forward it takes a higher skill set to operate our machines, so being able to train our employees and keep them up to speed is amazing.”

Employees that benefit from this skills development fund grant include industrial engineers, computer numerical control (CNC) operators, mechanical drafters and electronics repair and waste technicians.

TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez presented the check to TSTC. He represents nearly 13.9 million working Texans and said it is institutions like TSTC that are working together to make the Texas workforce stronger.

“The unemployment rate in Texas is dropping because of places like TSTC,” said Alvarez. “It is this type of training that allows us to talk about careers, not only jobs.”

Alvarez added that this particular grant has a $274,000 economic impact and upon completion of the training, the workers will receive no less than an average hourly rate of $16.76.

Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell congratulated TSTC, TSTC Regent Alex Meade, who was at the event representing the college’s Board of Regents, and the TWC on the work they do to provide first-class training to companies and their employees across the Rio Grande Valley.

“There is an increased need for trained skilled workers and this partnership allows me to tell incoming industries that they have the resources they need close by at TSTC, and that it is this training that is opening economic doors in the Rio Grande Valley across the state,” said Boswell.

TSTC Senior Executive Director of Workforce Development Loree Scott thanked her team and industry partners for making this grant a huge success.

“My team deserves to be recognized for all of the hard work that goes into making this grant possible and developing the customized training that is required,” said Scott. “And thank you to the companies that trust us with their training and for the ongoing partnerships.”

For more information on the services offered by TSTC’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education, call 956-364-4567.