Typically a student would have to graduate from high school before starting college, but with the South Texas College Dual Enrollment Programs a student can obtain a college degree by their high school senior year. This year 25 high school students graduated from STC with a Certification degree in the Precision Manufacturing Technology (PMT) program under the dual-enrollment Youth Career Pathway Program.

“Seeing our regular college students complete a degree is always a great moment for all of us, but in this particular case it was slightly different,” commented Ed Hausbeck, department chair of STC PMT regarding the biggest dual-enrollment class to graduate under this program. “These high school students are opening a gap among the education system. They are leading the way to many doors of opportunities for a higher quality of life in the Rio Grande Valley. Students are truly understanding the need that exists for quality trained and educated individuals. That is why STC is working so hard at creating more and more dual-enrollment programs. We know that the sooner the students begin taking college classes the better prepared they will be for the demands of the real world.”

The Youth Career Pathway Program, created in 2002 is the result of a joint venture between the PMT Program, the Partnership for Workforce Training and Continuing Education and the High School Programs and Services Department at STC. This collaborative effort prepares high school students for careers in a variety of manufacturing occupations, including tool and die making, industrial maintenance, plastics processing and quality assurance. In addition, the program, places students at local manufacturing companies during the summer as paid interns.  The interns receive over 240 hours of relevant, hands-on work experience to enhance their related, classroom instruction. 

“Moving the Precision Manufacturing Program under the umbrella of the dual enrollment/dual credit program made it possible for these students to complete this degree,” said Nick Gonzalez, director of the Dual Enrollment Program at STC. “The students were able to complete this PMT Certificate in two years as high school juniors and seniors. We have successfully created strong curriculums through the dual enrollment program that align to the demands of the high schools and are targeted to be completed in two years. I am proud of what these students have accomplished and look forward to the success of many more students in the future.”

In order to obtain the PMT Certificate the students must complete 39 college hours of classroom instruction and hands-on training.

The Youth Career Pathway Program has won national recognition for its innovativeness, instructional quality and student success. The Partnership has secured funding from the U.S. Department of Labor and the City of McAllen to pay for program’s staff support, books, equipment, supplies and stipends for the summer interns. 

“The Partnership at STC has helped situate the Youth Career Pathway Program at a national level,” said Wanda Garza, Executive Director for Workforce Training and Continuing Education at STC.  “The program has received recognition from the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor for its success in placing high school students on a secure path toward higher education and an eventual career in manufacturing.  Our goal is to develop a strong, highly-skilled workforce and the Youth Career Pathway Program has proven it has the potential to be at the forefront of this effort.”

The Youth Career Pathway was supported by the Independent School Districts of Hidalgo, Edcouch-Elsa, McAllen, Pharr, San Juan, Alamo and Rio Grande City.

For more information about the Youth Career Pathway Program, please contact Raul Ruiz at the Partnership at (956) 872-6141. 

The STC Youth Career Pathway Program graduated 25 high school students during the 2006 Commencement Exercises. The students completed a Precision Manufacturing Technology (PMT) Certification degree weeks before their high school graduation. Pictured minutes after their commencement ceremony are college graduates from left (back), Angel De Leon, Jaime Cantu Pineda Gerson, Jose Trevino, Ed Hausbeck, program chair of STC PMT, Aguirre Porfirio, Rendon Jesus, Otoniel Palomares, Danny Morales, instructor of STC PMT. (middle) Jonathan De Los Santos, Ami Amieva, Felipe Espino, Armando Hernández, Omar Salinas, Raúl González, José Rodríguez, Esmeralda Adame, instructor of STC PMT. (front) Osiel Lopez, Pricilla Amieva, Daniel Moreno, Nora Valdez Nora, Homero Lugo, Javier Garza, Maria Torres, Jimmy López.

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