By Audrey Tyson/COMM 2311.001
The traditional college path simply does not suit everyone; life is not a one-size-fits-all after all. A recent statistic from the educational foundation, Strada, shows that 74% of community college students apply to improve their employability. This statistic is reflected at South Plains College in the 22 technical education programs the college offers.
SPC has a 3-year average job placement rate of 95% for graduates of its career and technical programs. Given the increase in demand for skilled technical workers, the high certification and placement rate demonstrates the effectiveness of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program in preparing students for the workforce.
Albert Garcia, the Dean of Technical Education at SPC, is driven by his dedication to his students. Being a graduate of SPC himself, Garcia returned in June 2023 to give back to the institution that started his path of higher education and to pay forward the opportunities afforded to him during his time as a student.
“It’s about the students. That’s in our mission statement,” Garcia said. “We have faculty members here [SPC] that will stay after hours if they have to, just to make sure that they’re getting that opportunity to talk to their students that may have some type of issue. I love that about South Plains College.”
SPC is considered an accomplished educational institution, considering 1,558 degrees and certificates were awarded in 2022. The college’s commitment to meeting student and industry needs is demonstrated in the success of its CTE programs, which have led to the investment in a new program: dental hygiene.
“We always have people that come to us and say, ‘Why don’t y’all have this kind of program? Why don’t you have that kind of program?’” Garcia said. “We have to do a lot of research and try to gather as much analytical information to determine whether or not there is value in developing different programs within certain industries.”
In response to industry demand, the college added a new program this semester after recognizing the “industry request” for it, as Garcia puts it. This fall, SPC began offering certification for their new barber’s program; having started the program with 12 seats, as of October 31, the program currently has a waitlist of 30 students, indicating a strong interest and demand in this field.
Garcia also shared an anecdote about a student who, after a lifetime as a trucker, decided to hang up his keys and pursue his passion for barbering by enrolling in the program. This former trucker is just one example of how the CTE program at South Plains College has empowered individuals to make meaningful changes in their lives. With 21 other CTE certification programs and one more in development, it is evident that South Plains College is committed to staying attuned to industry needs and demands. SPC maintains an advisory committee for things such as this. The committee looks at industries in the area to see employment demands and whether SPC can make a difference.
“For every industry, we have those people on those committees that are industry leaders, and we partner up with a lot of these different businesses that come forward to be part of our advisory boards so that they can help us to understand what’s best needed in the industry.” Garcia said. “But then it also gives them a firsthand opportunity to come and recruit specifically from our students, and it says a lot about what we’re producing here.”
South Plains College and Levelland community, have a symbiotic relationship; by that token, the CTE program has an even deeper relationship with numerous local businesses and several prominent companies with many business owners sitting on the advisory committee. SPC emphasizes student preparedness to ensure that students are adequately equipped to enter the workforce immediately following their graduation. Garcia supports this claim with another anecdote about an entire graduating class of welders who were hired by a local company a few years ago.
“And I know from the position I’ve had, this was always the first place I came to recruit and I recruited a lot,” Garcia said in regards to his earlier career as Levelland Chief of Police. “There were other people that would graduate from different academies, but when they would apply, I’d be like, ‘Yeah, right now they’re not ready.’”
Garcia provides a unique perspective after having been a student, an employer, and finally the Dean of Technical Education at SPC. Having served for several years on the advisory committee, he has witnessed the connections within the SPC ecosystem and its mutually beneficial relationship with the local community.
“Ultimately. that’s our mission is making sure that we have student success. You may feel like it’s taking you forever to graduate and things like that, but don’t give up on it. Just don’t give up. You’ll get there.” Garcia said.
SPC and the CTE program continue to evolve alongside industry needs, and the college is committed to improving to meet these standards. This development is supported by dedicated faculty and the high-quality students they consistently produce. By focusing on instilling the strong work ethic expected of an SPC graduate and preparing them for the realities of the adult workforce, the college is following a distinct upward trend that will continue into the future.
To reiterate Mr. Albert Garcia’s previous sentiment: don’t give up because South Plains College is a strong support.
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