KCOS

American Graduate - El Paso

Season 1 Episode 1 | 6m 5sVideo has Closed Captions

American Graduate: Getting to Work - El Paso

07/11/2019

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

KCOS is a local public television program presented by KCOS and KTTZ

KCOS

American Graduate - El Paso

Season 1 Episode 1 | 6m 5sVideo has Closed Captions

American Graduate: Getting to Work - El Paso

07/11/2019

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

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So El Paso is really growing right now our unemployment rate is very low it hovers around four percent or even a little bit lower at times we have about a billon dollars worth of highway construction going on right now and that is a major, major project that has taken a lot i think of the skilled labor in the there is so much opportunity out there for construction companies you know I don’t think El has ever seen anything like this. on a recent survey of hundreds of site selectors and companies that are looking to expand or relocate, when asked what the number one consideration is when they look at a community in which to expand or relocate is workforce, an available trained or trainable workforce. The things that Workforce Solutions Borderplex are doing is absolutely phenomenal in getting our young adults trained for skills that are relevant in our particular marketplace of jobs. school was just not for me one day I was just looking for work and they told me about workforce they called me and tell me if I’m interested in doing construction, I was like what?

and I got some certifications for residential construction and there from there I got a four month hire with workforce. I’m the very first girl to work for Highridge so, yeah, feels good a lot of these kids just need someone to believe in them when someone believes in them they start to believe in 17 weeks they would be getting introductions into construction math, preparing the house from all the way up.

In addition to that on Fridays they were working to achieve their GED took a lot of pushing and pushing, same thing as school, it was hard, but I did it. after that we had a little graduation with gowns and everything and then we gave them some work experience we had a partner that was building apartments and we would go out there with our little crew and their superintendent would assign them, partner the professionals and they would actually learn how to do all things they were learning in class. for Aztec it was an opportunity to give back and allow some of these kids an opportunity to see what’s out there. from the plumbing the electrical, concrete, framing, dry wall there are so many different trades that are out there that need individuals I’m a plumber’s helper, that’s what they call it a chalan I’m learning, it feels good to know I know how heater in or a sink, how to fix a sink, I can install a whole kitchen sink, a bathtub, the shower head and everything, all that I’m already getting it feels so good everyday to know that, oh I learned this today, tomorrow lets see what I learn. There is a gap there with experience so we’re relying on that young generation to come in and start filling these voids. They really helped me a lot yeah, becasue without them I wouldn’t be working at high ridge right now So, I’m really thankful for workforce. Having that opportunity to get hands on and really experience and be able to walk away from something and see what the final product is is something that they’re proud of. I’m really proud of myself, I really am That feeling when they walk off that job site around a couple weeks later, a couple months later, when it’s finished, they can say, hey look I was part of that and that’s powerful. whether its teaching our young people soft skills, teaching them how to interview, teaching how to dress, all the way to getting the relevant skills, whether its construction, whether its business services, whether its logistics, they do a phenomenal job and that puts our community, that puts our region in much more competitive stand in terms of trying to get these jobs to come to our region and retaining jobs as well. Right now at this point in time the number one ingredient to growth is talent, workforce workplace skills, so we’re pretty important right now in terms of being an agency that can facilitate some of that. El Paso is beautiful and our young people are amazing and talented and we have a treasure and that’s what we are doing, we’re developing that treasure.

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KCOS is a local public television program presented by KCOS and KTTZ