DEPARTMENT: Economic Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Alejanda Lopez
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-Wide
SUBJECT:
Briefing by the Alamo Colleges on their regional education and training centers.
SUMMARY:
Alamo Colleges Vice Chancellor for Economic and Workforce Development, Robert McKinley, will present a progress report on the Alamo Colleges regional education and training centers to include the “Smart Growth” approaches for economic and workforce development, the vision for closing critical gaps in opportunity and prosperity, and near-term priorities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
What began as one “community education center” in 1999 has now grown to a network of seven Alamo Colleges education and training centers, located in high-need sectors of Bexar County and the surrounding region. These centers are uniquely positioned, both geographically and programmatically, to answer the call to increase socio-economic mobility for the communities we serve.
In FY18, 6,552 students attended continuing education and credit programs at the centers to include high-demand, high-wage workforce training and adult education programs. Approximately 10,000 more were served through partner services and programs.
With the approval of $69 million in the 2017 Alamo Colleges’ bond election, projects are underway for the replacement of one center and the establishment of two new centers; one on the north central corridor, the other in the rural southern edges of Bexar County. These projects allow for the geographic expansion of access points to education and training programs.
Near-term strategies for the centers include “Smart Growth” analysis to determine the highest and best use of the centers as platforms for educational attainment and talent development (labor demand/supply gaps), defining measures of success and data collection, and building a business model for sustainability and scalability.
ISSUE:
While skills training is necessary to upskill residents from underserved areas of the community, other support services are just as important to provide a path to a good career for San Antonio’s residents. The Alamo Colleges’ regional education and training centers integrate services and foster collaboration to improve the workforce development delivery system. The centers also foster more inclusive economic development to address persistently high economic segregation in San Antonio.
This presentation is to inform the Economic and Workforce Development Committee of the vision of the regional education and training centers that will be accomplished with a “Smart Growth” approach with an eye towards closing critical gaps in opportunity and prosperity.
ALTERNATIVES:
This is a briefing item only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is a briefing item only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is a staff briefing and requires no action.