An area organization will partner with other groups to create a new center for training workers across the South Plains.

Workforce Solutions South Plains, partnering with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, South Plains College, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, and Texas Tech University, have formed a collaborative organization, now known as the Community Workforce Partnership.

The Community Workforce Partnership will create the new South Plains Center for Productivity and Innovation.

The center, which will be located at 1622 Mac Davis Lane, will serve as a training resource for eligible incumbent workers and as a training and mentoring resource for other eligible entrepreneurs.

The CWP was awarded a $372,000 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to create the center, to train workers from some businesses involved in science, technology, engineering, and math related skills. Entrepreneurs interested in starting a business may also obtain some business information, training, and mentoring at the center.

Daily operations will be handled by the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, and administration will be provided by Workforce Solutions South Plains, the key fiscal partner.

The grant will provide training for 240 workers from at least 20 small area businesses, and provide entrepreneurial training and mentoring to at least 38 new business seekers.

“Training our current workers builds a pipeline of highly-skilled labor within a company, which not only benefits their business with more effective and efficient processes, it improves quality and makes way for new entry level workers, increasing our employment levels,” said Workforce Solutions South Plains CEO Martin Aguirre.

“The reason it is important to train these workers in STEM areas is because many of our high school students are not capable of stepping right into today’s manufacturing workforce, which requires advanced scientific applications,” Aguirre continued.

Employers and entrepreneurs interested in more information should contact Michael Sanders with TMAC at m.sanders@nwtsbdc.org, or by calling 745-7926.

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