Dallas College is investing more than $1 million to develop state-of-the-art manufacturing and industrial technology laboratory facilities to train and upskill a future workforce through the Garland Center, where Dallas College has already forged a two-decades-long partnership to prepare a workforce ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
With support from a Texas Reskilling & Upskilling through Education (TRUE) grant, the lab will bring training in electronics, mechatronics, robotics and industrial automation to an area where manufacturers are increasingly relocating and to a community where additional training opportunities will match future job growth. Upon completion of their initial training at the Garland Center, students can work while they continue completing degree programs at nearby Richland and Eastfield campuses.
“Workforce training is a crucial element to any thriving community,” said Dr. Veronique Tran, vice provost of Dallas College’s School of Manufacturing and Industrial Technology (MIT). “With this investment and critical support from the state, we will be renovating and expanding hands-on labs at the Garland Center to deliver fast-track programs for entry-level technical jobs. Our strong and growing industry partnerships will ensure that we train skilled technicians to meet the needs of the advanced manufacturing industry.”
In addition to new investments in lab equipment, Dallas College has made training more accessible to the community by establishing training programs at Fair Park and at the Lancaster Innovation Center in Dallas’ underserved southern sector, as well as in Garland. “Dallas College’s community-embedded workforce training centers help students overcome transportation barriers to access work-readiness training to prepare them to enter the local workforce in high demand, living-wage jobs,” said Gloria Smith, associate vice chancellor for career connected learning.
Data from Dallas College’s Labor Market Intelligence Center has revealed that manufacturing and mechatronics students would benefit not only from new lab equipment but from a curriculum that combines new ways of teaching manufacturing and industrial technology. The approach has led to integration of industry-recognized credentials into the curriculum and development of TRUE Pathways to rapidly train students or upskill current workers to meet the demand of the local manufacturing and distribution industries.
The Garland Center will house several fast-track Continuing Education Skills Awards (CESAs) that are designed to transfer to credit-bearing “Level 1” certificates, which can be the entry point into various Associate of Applied Science degree programs — all while providing tuition assistance for students at each stage of the pathway.
On Oct. 7, Dallas College will join the city of Garland in marking National Manufacturing Day at the Dallas County Manufacturers’ Association Annual Conference, where guests will learn about the latest Dallas College pathways to manufacturing careers and about manufacturers' contributions to the region’s rapid growth in manufacturing and industrial technology.
“Our School of MIT is bringing learning tools directly into the neighborhoods that need them most,” said Dallas College Chancellor Justin Lonon. “Manufacturing, producing and moving goods with the speed and quality that consumers have come to expect involves a high degree of automation, as well as the latest technological advancements. As more and more companies move into our communities for their manufacturing and logistics needs, Dallas College is committed to providing training for the multiskilled technicians who power global companies.”
Dallas College is already providing fast-track training for Amazon’s Mechatronics & Robotics Apprenticeship program, which has seen more than 400 students complete the program since it started in mid-2020.
With Dallas College’s Amazon training program in full swing at the Eastfield Campus, and the infusion of TRUE grant funding going toward supporting the latest crop of trainees at the Garland Center, our students will get their initial training and hit the market in extremely high-demand — all while being able to pursue a degree, Dr. Tran added.
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