(MARSHALL, Texas) – Leaders from Texas State Technical College, the Texas Workforce Commission and Longview-based STEMCO gathered Thursday in Marshall to commemorate a $166,657 Skills Development Fund grant aimed at improving workers’ skills.
More than 100 STEMCO employees have taken over 900 hours of technical and nontechnical training in collaborative team building, decision-making, electrical safety, Excel, Google Suite and other topics.
“TSTC makes a positive difference in the lives of our working citizens by helping them earn more in their careers through their increased knowledge and skills,” said Kelly Kinsley Overby, the Longview Economic Development Corporation’s business retention and expansion director. “Training grants from the TWC such as the Skills Development Fund help provide this needed training and foster economic growth and prosperity in East Texas.”
This was the first time the company utilized TSTC for workforce training. The work started last summer and ended in May.
“I think we have built very good relations with STEMCO,” said Dirk Hughes, TSTC’s executive director of workforce training in Marshall. “As soon as we get another grant, we need to continue doing this type of training.”
William Leadaman, STEMCO’s manager in Longview, said staff from the company’s human resources office and TSTC had discussions about specialized training for employees.
“Our company is really focused on the dual bottom line, so not only is it the growth and sustainability of the business, but also the growth of the colleagues and their technical base,” Leadaman said.
The Skills Development Fund has been used since 1996 to localize workforce training for Texas companies. This enables companies to work directly with local partners to develop training tailored to employers’ needs. The Skills Development Fund grant has assisted more than 4,200 employers statewide, according to the TWC.
“Our labor force continues to be among the most sought-after in the world, thanks to the state’s commitment to implement strategies to improve the skills of Texas workers,” said Julian Alvarez III, the TWC’s commissioner representing labor.
STEMCO supplies brake, suspension and wheel-end components for the commercial vehicle industry.
For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.
