(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing mobile training lab, part of the Accelerated Training Solutions division, will bring industry-focused training directly to employers across Texas.
The lab will depart Harlingen on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to deliver hands-on technical training at the request of the college’s industry partners.
“For us, it comes down to responsiveness and accessibility,” said Cledia Hernandez, TSTC’s vice chancellor and chief business development officer. “Texas industry moves fast, and we are constantly looking for ways to adapt and meet employers right where they are with relevant, on-demand training.”
The lab will feature hands-on training stations focused on advanced manufacturing, electrical systems, pneumatics, programmable logic controllers, hydraulics, Fuji Automatic Numerical Control robotics and related industrial technologies. Participants will have opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials, including those offered by the Smart Automation Certification Alliance, SMC Corp. and Fuji Automatic Numerical Control.
Nelson Adams, TSTC’s director of project and resource management for Accelerated Training Solutions, helped coordinate the project to meet employers’ training needs.
“The demand for skilled manufacturing technicians is growing rapidly as more companies make Texas their home,” he said. “We chose advanced manufacturing to directly strengthen the state’s workforce and support these incoming and expanding businesses.”
The lab’s curriculum will combine content from TSTC’s Advanced Manufacturing program with customized instruction developed around individual employers’ needs.
Roger Snow, TSTC’s dean of manufacturing, said industry partnerships play a key role in shaping the training experience.
“The tools and curriculum that will be utilized in the mobile training lab are designed and validated by those industry partners to align with the jobs that they indicate are in high demand,” he said.
The mobile format also addresses the challenge employers face when training employees at remote worksites or in rural communities. By bringing instruction directly to companies, the lab can reduce the need for employees to travel for training.
Hernandez said the initiative is intended to help employers develop a skilled workforce while creating pathways to career opportunities closer to home.
“For the workforce, it creates flexible pathways to high-demand, well-paying jobs right in their local communities,” she said. “It helps Texans remain competitive by keeping our manufacturing pipeline strong.”
For more information on TSTC’s mobile training lab, contact cindy.evans@tstc.edu or greg.carptenter@tstc.edu.
Registration is open for the spring semester. For more information, visit TSTC.edu.