On July 12th the University of Houston Victoria at Katy hosted WHA for an education and workforce development workshop.
There are many opportunities for our region’s education and workforce communities to find new and innovative ways to work together. WHA’s Education & Workforce Development committee hopes to encourage those conversations and help facilitate these relationships. Dr. Zach Hodges, WHA Education & Workforce Development Vice-Chair, emphasized the need to partner with the industry in areas that may have previously been untapped, and provide pathways from preschool through college to make it easier for Houstonians to further their education based on their individualized needs.
The afternoon meeting included industry representatives from Inframark and Consolidated Communications to explain their workforce needs, highlight skills gaps they face when hiring and inform the educators about programs they would find valuable from the respective institutions.
The educational institutions present included HCC, Coleman College (HCC), Katy ISD, UH College of Nursing, UH Katy Campus & UH Victoria. Each of these representatives reported to the group what programs/partnerships they already have in place, challenges seen in providing those important programs and goals for the future.
Communication between educational entities, the industry and the public will be crucial in moving forward and creating the opportunities needed or educating those on ones already in place to help meet the regions demands that are not being met. WHA hopes to continue this conversation and grow our network to uncover even more partnership opportunities.