Innovation in Employer Collaboration Award

Western Technical College

For more than 50 years, Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas, has partnered with local businesses to provide students with hands-on experience through internships and direct employment opportunities. In 2022, the institution expanded this approach, creating a new model of collaboration that reaches not only students preparing to enter the workforce but also employees already working in regional industries. The goal was to provide upskilling opportunities for current workers while continuing to prepare new graduates for career-ready roles.

To launch this effort, Western Tech reintroduced the position of Customized Training Director. The role was tasked with connecting directly with business owners and supervisors to explain how the college could design and deliver training programs tailored to employer needs. This approach ensured that companies could strengthen the skills of their existing employees while also gaining access to new students ready to begin their careers.

Two of the largest utility companies in the region were among the first to participate. The El Paso water utility worked with Western Tech to create a customized training program for water utility technicians. The college developed the curriculum, assigned classrooms across both campuses, and identified faculty from within its ranks. By the end of 2023, multiple cohorts had completed the program and entered the field.

At the same time, the local electric company faced a shortage of lineworkers. Western Tech partnered with the company to design a training program modeled on its work with the water utility. The company announced the opportunity to the community, while the college recruited a retired lineworker as instructor, built the curriculum, and supplied the technology needed for instruction. The first cohort graduated in August 2023, producing 12 trained workers prepared to enter the electric utility workforce. A second cohort quickly followed, continuing to meet demand in a high-need industry.

These customized training programs complement Western Tech’s long-standing tradition of preparing students for skilled trades. Founded in 1970 as a welding school, the college has expanded its offerings to include HVAC, welding, automotive and diesel mechanics, electronics, and computer science. The school also offers healthcare training in medical assisting, physical therapy, billing and coding, and nursing.

As these collaborations grew, Western Tech graduates began to find opportunities beyond El Paso. Electronics engineering students secured positions at White Sands Missile Range, and Exxon Mobil, while aerospace students were recruited by Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin, Los Alamos, and other major employers.

Western Tech’s ability to adapt to industry needs has shaped its evolution for more than five decades. Leadership has consistently recruited instructors with direct industry experience to ensure students gain practical skills aligned with employer expectations. From its early focus on trades like welding and automotive repair to its more recent connections with aerospace, semiconductors, and cybersecurity, the college has evolved alongside the industries it serves.

By creating new opportunities for both current employees and future graduates, Western Technical College has demonstrated the power of employer collaboration to expand access to education, address critical workforce shortages, and prepare students for success in industries old and new.