Tag Archives: Workforce Solutions Borderplex

Eaton El Paso, working in partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), is promoting a series of open positions in their El Paso location.

Eaton El Paso’s Electrical Division has opened a new manufacturing facility in El Paso with first shift production and salaried positions open.

Positions ranging from Production Associate to Sr. Electrical Test Technician to Quality Inspector are open for candidates to apply.  For a full list of opportunities go to Eaton’s website and search for El Paso.

Via a news release, WSB officials share, “Eaton offers competitive benefits and professional growth opportunities for their employees.  They create an environment where creativity, invention and discovery become a reality, each and every day; where bold, bright professionals can reach their full potential.”

Just last November, Eaton announced the opening of their El Paso manufacturing location, along with the new positions.  At the time of the announcement, Mayor Dee Margo touted the benefit of the new plant in the Borderland.

“Eaton Corporation will be an exceptional addition to our local business community. In addition to creating 200 jobs, Eaton will invest over $15 million dollars into our regional economy. Our economic development strategy is in full effect and we are seeing result after result. Companies are recognizing El Paso as a premier place to work, play and visit. We must continue our progress and attract more jobs, more investment, and better opportunities for the people of El Paso,”  Mayor Margo said.

For more information about the positions or to apply, visit the Work In Texas website.

Officials with the City of El Paso announced Tuesday that they have formalized seven (7) partnership agreements with local agencies that support small and minority-owned business development in the El Paso area.

Via a news release, officials shared, “The city intends to support and centralize current and ongoing business and entrepreneurial programs throughout the community.”

In the future, local small and minority-owned businesses will be able to access services and resources to start and grow their businesses from a centralized online resource guide. They will also have access to workshops, webinars and informational sessions through the El Paso Public Library and other City departments.

The resource partners include the Small Business Development Center, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, El Paso County, the Hub of Human Innovation and the UTEP Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship.

The objective of these partnership agreements is to formalize the efforts of these agencies to work together in support of, and to help spur, small and minority-owned business development in the area.

Accelerate EP, led by the City of El Paso’s Economic Development Department, is being funded through a $100,000 grant from the Citi Foundation and Living Cities as part of their City Accelerator Cohort program.

Other City departments involved in the project are Community and Human Development, Public Library, the Performance Office and Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing.

The Citi Foundation and Living Cities has named El Paso as one of five cities selected to participate in the fifth cohort of the City Accelerator program. The fifth cohort for the City Accelerator will focus on strategies cities can employ to build a seamless support system for local businesses to more easily grow and hire more people, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs of color.

Other cities who are part of the cohort include Atlanta, Long Beach, Newark, and Rochester. Throughout the next year, the five-city cohort will work to support individual projects focusing on supporting the growth of local minority-owned businesses through a variety of strategies.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs interested in participating in this program can visit the program’s website or, for more information, those interested in the program can contact Aimee Olivas at (915) 212-1617 or by e-mail OlivasAP@elpasotexas.gov.

On Thursday, officials with Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) announced that their organization is ready to offer employment services to assist furloughed federal workers during the federal government shutdown.

WSB reports that as of January 22, 2019, 40 Borderplex employers have opened over 256 positions to furloughed federal workers seeking temporary employment opportunities, and the list continues to grow.

The El Paso community is thankful for the federal employees that work tirelessly in serving the public. With that in mind, WSB welcomes furloughed federal workers to visit any Workforce Solutions Center or log on to the website to learn about how WSB staff can help to walk them through Unemployment Benefits filing and how the organization can assist with job matching.

Officials say WSB can also offer information on Borderplex companies who are offering job opportunities exclusively to furloughed federal employees during this difficult time.

For companies who wish to offer a temporary job to a furloughed federal employee, they need to visit the WSB Website to submit contact information and a WSB representative will connect as soon as possible to obtain job details and create a free posting in the WSB database. WSB thanks the many Borderplex employers for their willingness to help furloughed federal workers, and WSB urges furloughed federal workers to stay productive and positive during this difficult time.

Employers or federal furloughed workers are encouraged to contact Workforce Solutions Borderplex at (915) 887-2600, visit any of the WSB Centers, or log onto website to learn how WSB can help.

Borderplex Employer Listing Who are Offering Temporary Employment to Furloughed Federal Workers

 AAFES  Adecco  ADP  Aladdin Day Care  American Sling  AO General Contractors  Art Masters  B & M Machinery  Beltran Contractors  Bien Vivir Senior Health  Blackstone Security Services  Burnett Specialists  c3i Solutions  Captiva Group  Dickason  El Paso Auto Sales & Body Shop  El Paso Star Ready Mix  Fidelis Protective Services  Infinito  InStaff  Ivan’s Site Services  Keats Southwest  LaborMax  Lark Industries  Lone Star Industrial  Lone Wolf Trucking  Manpower  MOR Sheet Metal  Outwest Express  Pride Industries  Professional Document Systems  Quality Inn & Suites  ReadyOne Industries  Securitas  Texas VSI  TLC Associates  Tru temps  Volt  T & T Staff Management  GC Service

Workforce Solutions Borderplex and its partners, Prudential Financial, Inc. and Tropicana Homes, were recognized and awarded at the 22nd Annual Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Conference in Houston, Texas.

In recognition for its outstanding workforce programs, Workforce Solutions Borderplex was awarded the Texas HireAbility Award for their dynamic “Unlocking Opportunities” outreach campaign, along with a check for $30,000 to use to support its programs and services.

The Texas HireAbility Award honors a Local Workforce Development Board that has successfully promoted employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans with disabilities.  WSB launched an uplifting outreach campaign that promoted the hiring of individuals with disabilities entitled “DisAbility Friendly Employer”, by using the statement – “A job seeker with disabilities has potential; consider unlocking the opportunities” as the mantra and cornerstone of this effort.

WSB’s goal was to create a different frame of mind when connecting employers with job seekers with disabilities. The campaign served to educate employers on inclusion and diversity in the workplace; with 1,274 individuals with disabilities, 370 veterans with disabilities, and 100 youth with disabilities all securing employment.

TWC Chair, Ruth R. Hughes, honored the Employer of the Year award winners.

“I am proud to recognize these Texas employers through this year’s nomination for Employer of the Year Award for the value they place in their communities by promoting strong economic growth, and for their commitment to hiring our veterans,” stated Hughes.  “These exemplary private-sector finalists demonstrate excellence and contribute to our thriving economy and job growth, as well as setting new standards for Texas employers.  TWC is honored to recognize their outstanding efforts and achievements.”

The El Paso branch of Prudential Financial, Inc. received the highly-coveted Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year award in recognition of their outstanding efforts to recruit and hire veterans, significantly impacting the Borderplex region and the state.

Prudential Financial Inc. has a long-standing commitment to and history of supporting the US military and its veterans. Since opening its office in El Paso in 2014, Prudential has built a workforce made up of 49% veterans and military spouses, and has made notable achievements to impact veterans’ employment, to give back to the community, and to share best practices through strategic partnerships.

Prudential is proud to be part of the diverse El Paso community, providing career opportunities for veterans and military spouses in Texas and around the world. Prudential recognizes that military talent brings unique qualities and experiences to their organization that strengthens the overall organizational collaboration and innovation.

Tropicana Homes was awarded as an Employer of Excellence, as TWC honors one private-sector employer in each local workforce development area that is actively involved with Texas Workforce Solutions and recognizes that said employer has, as a customer and collaborator with the Local Workforce Development Board, created and used innovative approaches that have benefited the local economy and workforce significantly.

Four-time winner of the Builder of the Year Award by the El Paso Association of Builders, Tropicana Homes has made a tremendous impact on the Workforce Solutions Borderplex (Borderplex) – YouthBuild program. Tropicana Homes provides youth with valuable mentorship, work experience, and hands-on employment opportunities.

At Tropicana Homes’ construction sites, YouthBuild participants fully employ the skills they are taught in their training courses in a real-world setting. Without the dedicated partnership and commitment to the youth of this program, WSB’s YouthBuild initiative would not be the program it has evolved into since its inception.

TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Robert D. Thomas said “Tropicana Homes deserves applause this year for its efforts in partnering with Workforce Solutions Borderplex to create amazing opportunities for Texas workers and communities.”

“Congratulations to our finalists, who show great commitment for supporting local communities and to their employees while providing growth in a constructive work setting,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez.

“These companies embody the dedication to the Texas workforce with the ongoing commitment to training efforts and workforce advancements.  These employers exemplify TWC’s mission to promote and support a workforce system that creates value and offers employers, individuals and communities the opportunity to achieve and sustain economic prosperity.”

The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. Workforce Solutions Borderplex,

Workforce Boards throughout the state of Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission and workforce system partners work together to respond to the needs of employers and workers through skills training, job search assistance, and other workforce support services.

The TWC Conference was held on November 28 and 29, 2018.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex is announcing the final opportunity for Borderplex residents to take part in the award-winning Cybersecurity Technology Certification Training program, launching January 2019.

The program will be free for selected participants.

This final campaign of the Workforce Solutions’ Cybersecurity training program will offer a suite of (5) IT security certificates that build an individual’s capacity to work in the cybersecurity field.

There will be (3) 12-week training cohorts that will provide candidates with the necessary skills required to pass the five, IT-recognized, highly-coveted cybersecurity certifications in IT fundamentals, A+, Network+, Security+, and CSA+.  This innovative training program is targeted to adults, students, veterans, transitioning soldiers, and military spouses, as well as currently unemployed and underemployed professionals.

The program will run Monday through Friday, from 8am – 5pm each day.  Candidates who currently do not have a full-time work commitment are encouraged to apply for the program.

The Cybersecurity Technology Certification Training program requires a full-time commitment from candidates in order for them to successfully complete the training and be ready to pass the 5 certification tests.

This is an intense IT training that will require candidates to:

• Possess an aptitude for IT, with the ability to pass an IT Fundamentals assessment with an 80% passage rate
• Candidates will need to prove their right to work in the U.S. by providing eligible documents
• Candidates will need to commit to near perfect attendance while undergoing the program
• Candidates will not be able to be currently employed in a typical Monday-Friday, 8-5 job during the training program, due to the program’s strict attendance requirement and rigorous course of study

Potential candidates must pass the IT Fundamentals exam with a score of 80% or higher. From there, candidates will undergo an interview process, must pass a WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) eligibility screening, and agree to seek a job in the IT field upon program completion.

Candidates interested in taking part in one of the 3 cohorts of the cybersecurity training program must log onto the Workforce Solutions Borderplex website to sign up to take an IT Fundamentals course in December..

Workforce Solutions Borderplex’s Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is proud to present the first annual Parent Conference this weekend.

The adults-only conference is set for Saturday, August 18 from 9 am – 1 pm at El Paso Community College’s Administrative Services Center Auditorium located at 9050 Viscount Blvd.

The Parent Conference features dynamic speakers, food, prizes and great information about early childhood. Presentations will feature information ranging from how parents can learn to support their child’s social emotional needs, to how to choose quality child care, and parents will see how they can also serve as teachers for their children.

Members of the public who would like to attend this event must pick up a free entrance ticket at any Workforce Solutions Center. This is an adults only event, so there will be no childcare available.

Featured presenters include Sue Hancock, an Independent Consultant expert in the early childhood education community at the local and state level and Celeste Parrott, who currently serves as the Child Care Licensing Supervisor.

Ms. Hancock has received Continuing Education with Certification from the Texas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children and the Department of State Health Services, Health & Human Services Commission for Healthy Child Care Texas as a Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC). Ms. Hancock has provided professional development presentations, mentoring and educational opportunities for early childhood professionals and works with child care centers, home-based providers, programs and families to develop and support quality initiatives.

Ms. Parrott heads the Child Care Licensing program whose mission is to protect children through regulation and education; safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of children who attend or live in regulated child-care operations and homes.

The Texas Workforce Commission’s Texas Rising Star (TRS) program is a voluntary, quality-based child care rating system of childcare providers participating in the Texas Workforce Commission’s subsidized child care program. The child care providers that voluntarily achieve TRS provider certification offer quality care that exceeds the state’s minimum Child Care Licensing Standards and help to contribute to the early development of our region’s children.

As providers advance through the levels of TRS certification, they can contribute progressively to the development of the children they serve daily.

For more information about the Parent Conference, please contact Program Specialist, Marisela Correa at (915) 887-2219.

Attendees [lease note: 

• This is a free event.
• Attendees should pick up an entrance ticket at any Workforce Solutions Center.
• This is an ADULT-only event.  There will not be childcare available.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), in partnership with Burlington, will be hosting a special hiring event at the North Loop Workforce Solutions Center this week.

The hiring event will be held on August 1, 2 & 3, 2018,  at WSB’s North Loop Center. According to WSB officials, the event is being held to hire 130 retail positions.

Representatives from Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory) will be on-site at Workforce Solutions to conduct same-day interviews for those who qualify.

WSB Officials say candidates should bring copies of their resume and come dressed to impress.  For more information, please call (915) 230-2515 or visit www.workintexas.com.

Burlington Hiring Event

August 1, 2, & 3, 2018  |  9 am – 5 pm

North Loop Center  |  8825 North Loop, Suite 122

Workforce Solutions Borderplex, in partnership with Halliburton, will be hosting a special hiring event this Thursday.

Halliburton is looking to fill 300-400 positions and company representatives will be on-site to conduct same-day interviews for those who qualify. Candidates must be willing to relocate.

Officials with Workforce Solutions say that “Candidates should bring copies of their resume and come dressed to impress.”

The positions available are Entry Level Operator Assistant 1 – Frac Acid and Heavy Truck Drivers. These positions with Halliburton will be located in three Texas towns: Brownfield, Odessa, Fort Stockton and Artesia, NM.

For more information, please call (915) 887-2947 or visit the Workforce Website.

Special Halliburton Hiring Event

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Downtown Workforce Solutions Center

300 E. Main, 1st Floor, –  9 AM – 3 PM

Workforce Solutions Borderplex, in partnership with the STTE (Success Through Technology Education) Foundation, is proud to announce the winners of the 2018 STEAMx (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) Competitions.

To celebrate, ten dynamic borderland student teams were recognized at an inspirational awards ceremony to celebrate the winners of the STEAMx Competitions.

Of the event, organizers said, “STEAMx is a vibrant, high-impact 2-day event, specially developed to captivate and engage the Borderplex region’s youth, to increase their awareness of the opportunities that exist in STEAM-oriented education and careers. With this year’s theme of “Get STEAMED”, the goal was to capture Generation Y’s zeitgeist in this all-encompassing event that challenges students to take STEAM applications and apply them to innovative, real-word project-based competitions.”

The STEAMx Competitions challenged Borderplex students in a series of stimulating STEAM-oriented projects ranging from Smart Tiny House development to Coding to Traveling on Mars.

The honors were held on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in conjunction with the 2018 STEAMx corporate sponsors, Workforce Solutions Borderplex and the STTE Foundation.

The following are the scholarships and competition winners:

STEAMx SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ($1,000)

1. JOSE A. FLORES GOMEZ – Mission Early College HS

2. JOE R. FLORES – Presidio HS

3. MIGUEL GARCIA – Mission Early College HS

4. BIANCA ALONDRA PAYAN – El Paso HS

5. RICARDO RAMIREZ – Eastwood HS

6. IVYE BLYTHE ARIOJA DOLINO – Presidio HS

7. ALEJANDRA LOPEZ – Mission Early College HS

8. CRYSTAL LICON – Eastwood HS

9. JULIAHNA HAYES – Pebble Hills HS

10. DANIEL CARRILLO – Presidio HS

11. CHRISTOPHER YANEZ – Valle Verde Early College HS

12. DIEGO G. MALDONADO – Valle Verde Early College HS

The STEAMx scholarships were sponsored by El Paso Electric with a $10,000 donation, and by El Paso Community College, with a $2,000 donation.

Smart Tiny House sponsored by AT&T

• First Place $4000 – Riverside and Eastlake High Schools

• Second Place $1000 – Team Woods El Paso High and Burges High

App Design sponsored by Workforce Solutions Borderplex

• First Place $1,500- Harmony Student Assistant App

• Second Place $500 – Brown Bag

Applied Tech sponsored by UTEP Academic Technologies

• First Place $1250 – Eastwood HS

• Second Place $750 -Presidio HS

Architecture Traveling on Mars sponsored by Texas Tech College of Architecture

• First Place $1500 -The Orcus

• Second Place $500 -Northwest Early College HS

3D sponsored by Hunt Family Foundation

• First Place $1500 -Northwest Early College HS

• Second Place $500 – AEA El Dorado

Makerspace sponsored by FabLab El Paso

• First Place $1250 – STEAM Fabens HS

• Second Place $750 – Harmony Science Academy

Business sponsored by CoWork Oasis

• First Place $2,000 -Geo Prizm Valle Verde High

• Second Place $500 -Del Valle High MBA

Java Coding sponsored by Sigma Pivot

• First Place, $1500 -Northwest Early College HS

• Second Place $500- Eastwood HS

Robotics sponsored by VEX $2,000

• Tournament Champions -Canutillo, Hanks and Socorro HS’s

• Eastwood HS – Excellence • Hanks HS – Skills

The Prudential Foundation – Math Challenge

Middle School Math Counts

• First Place $2000 -Mathletes from Marfa Middle School

• Second Place $1000 -Team-Team from St. Marks School

High School Math Challenge

First Place $2500 – Pebble Hills High School (PMC003)

• Second Place $1000 – Pebble Hills High School (PMC002)

On Monday, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) announced the launch the organization’s newest resource website – www.HowtoPickaCareer.com – which offers visitors the opportunity to explore a series of exciting and interactive tools that walk users through what it will take to make career dreams a reality.

Via a news release, WSB officials said, “Students, parents and educators will marvel at the wealth of insightful information found on the  website…Brilliant infographic cards can be downloaded to learn more about the hottest jobs in the seven target industries of the Borderplex region.”

Once on the site, users can take a ‘virtual reality’ tour of some of the region’s most in-demand careers to explore the daily experiences of these professionals.  A series of Interactive Pathways lead users on a fundamental journey through the education and job roles required to career success.

Also linked to this site is the Texas Career Check website that offers students incredible tools they can utilize, such as taking a quiz to figure out where interests lie or what are the latest trends by occupation.  With the Texas Reality Check meter, students can test their knowledge on what a dream life will truly cost them in real life.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex’ HowtoPickaCareer.com (HTPC) was developed as a resource supplement from a Texas Labor Market and Career Information grant from the Texas Workforce Commission.

HTPC’s product offerings range from an online career information delivery system, to a toll-free career information hotline, to a variety of specialized economic development and regional planning tools.  Each of these end-user products is buttressed by applied academic research on Texas labor market dynamics.

HTPC also offers a collection of hardcopy and online labor market, career and follow-up information products as well.

According to the ACT Research & Policy Brief article, “Education and Career Navigation: Critical for Student Progress and Success”, studies show that individuals who develop education and career navigation knowledge and skills are likely to have expanded education and career opportunities.  These students will make education and career decisions that better fit their needs, it will increase their motivation to learn and achieve, and they are more likely to experience more positive outcomes both in school and work settings.

Workforce Solutions also encourages educators to download the Seven Target Industries infographic cards and the 2018 Hot Jobs report online, as supplies are limited.  For more information about the website and the Labor Market Career Information, please contact Natalie Littlefield via email.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) is looking for local businesses to join in the 2018 season of the El Paso Summer Youth Employment, also known as Hire El Paso’s Youth, which strives to put regional youth to work.

Via a news release, WSB officials say, “This impactful program provides first-time, real job experience that sets youth on a path to be successful and workforce-ready.”

To that end, Workforce Solutions has launched two youth employment initiatives for summer 2018: Hire El Paso Youth Work Program and the Earn & Learn Program.

The Hire El Paso Work Program will subsidize 100 percent of a paid work experience for 100 youth between the ages of 16-24 for 20-40 hours a week and for up to 12 weeks.

Earn & Learn Program, will subsidize 100 percent of the paid work experience for 85 youth with disabilities between the ages of 14-22 for 30 hours a week and for up to 7 weeks.

For either program, participating youth must meet specific requirements.

Employers participating in the Earn & Learn Program will receive insights and recommendations as to how to best serve customers with disabilities and learn how to easily adapt workplaces to employ persons with disabilities.

WSB officials add, “Overall, employers will benefit from having a motivated, young adult in their workplace, while giving them a crucial career-building opportunity.  Hire El Paso’s Youth has a far-reaching impact on our region, that builds a pipeline for the local workforce, with many youth returning to the same employer for multiple years.”

The summer job opportunities also provide valuable life lessons for the youth such as learning the importance of attendance and punctuality; articulating themselves professionally in a workplace setting; and learning how to accept direction and constructive criticism.

Employer mentors who have taken part in the program in previous years indicate that the mentorship time they spend with their young employees is critical to the future success of our community and increases their own engagement in their work.

For more information on how businesses can take part in the El Paso Summer Youth Employment programs,  contact the Business Services Unit at 915-887-2332 or at Business@borderplexjobs.com.

The 21st Annual Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Conference was held November 29th through December 1st in Dallas.  Several entities affiliated with Workforce Solutions Borderplex received board awards during the conference.

El Paso Electric (EP Electric) received the Employer Award of Excellence for the Workforce Solutions Borderplex (Borderplex) area.  The award honors private sector employers that are actively involved with Texas Workforce Solutions and have made a positive impact on employers, workers and the community.

The company sponsors Borderplex’s annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program by providing $10,000 in STEAM scholarships.  EP Electric has sponsored this event for the past nine years, with $54,500 invested.  EP Electric also sponsors the Young Achievers Forum, through which 1,000 students tour the University of Texas at El Paso.

“We are very honored to receive this recognition, and excited about continuing to contribute to the success of our region,” said Mary Kipp, President and Chief Executive Officer of El Paso Electric.  “As the local electric company, our over 1,100 employees demonstrate the dedication we all have to making sure ours is a thriving community full of opportunity for students and professionals.”

“I am pleased to recognize EP Electric and Borderplex for their leadership and applaud their commitment to their communities,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs.  “Through successful employer partnerships at the local level, we will maximize our effectiveness and keep Texas as a top destination for businesses.”

WSB was recognized for outstanding board performance, receiving a $30,000 award for Texas HireAbility. The Texas HireAbility Award honors a local workforce development board that has successfully promoted employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans with disabilities.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) established a disability subcommittee to advise WSB’s board of directors on initiatives that encourage employers to recruit, hire, retain, and provide career development opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Based on the subcommittee’s guidance, WSB created Breaking Barriers, a program designed to assist teens with disabilities seeking employment.

To date, Breaking Barriers has served more than 400 youth with disabilities.  In FY 2017, WSB found permanent employment for 172 persons with disabilities. WSB also promoted HireAbility Fairs throughout the region and partnered with City of El Paso to present an annual summit and career fair that targets job seekers with disabilities.

Borderplex also received a $75,000 award for Texas Rising Star Child Care.  The Texas Rising Star Child Care Award honors local workforce development boards that have improved child care quality through the creation of exemplary child care programs that demonstrate positive outcomes for the population served.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex promoted high-quality child care through a gardening project with 46 Texas Rising Star providers. Children put science into action by learning what it takes to grow vegetables as part of a healthy diet.

Socorro Independent School District was also recognized for an Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Incentive award, receiving $30,000 for High School Equivalency Achievement.

The AEL Incentive awards recognize partners who demonstrate exemplary performance and outstanding AEL service delivery in partnership with employers, community colleges and workforce boards.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), along with community partners and sponsors, is proud to launch ten STEAMx (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) competitions.

This year WSB is launching ten unique project-based high school student competitions. Competitions include Architecture, Coding, App Design, Makerspace, Physics, Business, 3D, Robotics, Applied Tech and Math.

New to this year’s STEAM education model are two different pathways (Micro and Macro) and the incorporation of a school networking component.  The Micro Pathway consists of a team that will compete in one single competition.  Each competition has a set of parameters teams must follow to solve.

The Macro Pathway includes students that will compete as part of a larger collaborative set of teams that must work with a team or teams from another school to develop a “Smart Tiny House Community Project”.

These competition additions were created to replicate a global marketplace environment and apply principles of networking and coordination for project management, utilizing technology and human resources.

At the STEAMx event, high school students will learn from professionals about the competitions, meet and greet other competitors and listen to a panel of experts discussing the “Smart Tiny House Community Project”.  Students will also have the opportunity to network with other possible competitors interested in the Macro Pathway.

Competitions are free and open to any 9th through 12th grade student in the Borderplex Region.  Students will compete for prizes, scholarships and school recognition.  Finalists will compete on April 23-24, 2018.

For more information, visit the competition’s website or contact Joseph Sapien, STEAM Project Manager at 915.887.2221.

The launch will take place Saturday, October 14th at the University of Texas at El Paso Undergraduate Learning Center located at 500 West University from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) was notified by the Office of the Governor and the Texas Workforce Investment Council that it was recommended for $241,772 in grant funding to place 60 youth into job training for emerging industries in the El Paso region.

Entitled Reboot El Paso!, this program falls under WSB’s TechHire initiative, a national effort of 72 different communities to create opportunities for career pathways in Computer Science and Information Technology.

The grant will also build upon the YouthBuild model, an evidence-based practice employed by 260 communities nationwide and tailored specifically for disenfranchised youth between the ages of 16 and 24.

The program will offer training/certification in IT Fundamentals and A+ as well as support high school equivalency attainment that will transition youth from the El Paso region into promising career pathways.

The grant is part of a yearlong partnership with the Texas Governor’s office.

The Office of the Governor and the City of El Paso’s Economic Development Department are pleased to announce that El Paso will host a Governor’s Small Business Forum on August 10, 2017.

Governor’s Small Business Forums are designed to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with timely, relevant, actionable advice to assist them in growing their business.

The El Paso Governor’s Small Business Forum will bring local entrepreneurs and small businesses valuable tools, skills, and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s fast-paced economy. This year’s Forum will highlight business fundamentals, attracting and retaining a dynamic workforce, and innovation and entrepreneurship.

Additionally, this event will provide a great opportunity to network and connect with industry specialists, government officials, service providers, and the regional business community. Lunch and parking will be provided.

Those wishing to register, can visit the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce website to sign up. The cost is $50 per person.

For more information on the event or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Aimee Olivas at (915) 212-1617 or by email at OlivasAP@elpasotexas.gov

The Governor’s Small Business Forum is made possible through the joint efforts of the Office of the Governor, the City of El Paso, Texas Workforce Commission, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, The Borderplex Alliance, Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Center, County of El Paso, and Destination El Paso.

WHO:           The Office of the Governor and the City of El Paso Economic Development Department

WHAT:          Governor’s Small Business Forum

WHERE:        El Paso Convention Center – 1 Civic Center Plaza

WHEN:         August 10, 2017, 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.