Customized training help Valley companies stay competitive

South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing has become the Rio South Texas Region’s premier manufacturing training institution. Employers across the region are recognizing the benefits of world-class customized training the institute provides in today’s tough job market. Now with area companies cutting costs from every angle, training employees offers a great return on investment.

“Since our employees are now trained, we only contract out around five percent of our jobs.” said Juan Elizondo, administrative assistant for the Basilica of San Juan. “We have five trained technicians in the areas of plumbing, air conditioning, and electrical trades. We owe STC a great deal of thanks for their training and support.”

Various companies and organizations call upon STC’s IAM to upgrade the skills of new and existing employees. Facilities maintenance, industrial maintenance, welding, leadership, and workplace literacy are just a few of the high-demand, customizable programs being offered by the institute.

“The IAM is crucial to build customized training programs to ensure that we have a skilled labor pool ready and capable of meeting the needs of industries we aim to attract,” said Janie Ramos, vice president of U.S. business recruitment, retention and expansion for the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. “The competition for recruiting and attracting companies to regions across the U.S. is fierce, which is why we in the Valley have to continually focus on training employees in order to compete globally.”

 “Cross training enables companies to transfer employees to other departments and utilize their newly-acquired skills to take on additional responsibilities,” explained Carlos Margo, STC IAM regional training manager. “Companies are saving money by not having to hire additional personnel to get specific tasks completed.”

Hi-Tech Plastics Corporate Human Resource Manager Dennis Shultz says, “The quality of training and the level of professionalism STC provides are second to none. The college has developed a diverse set of programs tailored to fit our needs and have delivered cost-effective, quality classes allowing us to maintain and improve the skill sets of our employees.”

Companies looking for training have access to the institute’s highly-skilled instructors offering a combined 60 years of manufacturing expertise. STC training facilities are world-class, and now with the recent additional of a Robotics Program the college plans expand its services to many new companies.

 “Our department is continuously expanding and aggressively utilizing innovative curriculums to service the region’s employers,” added Margo.

To find out more about South Texas College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing contact Carlos Margo at 956-872-6197.