MCALLEN, Texas - When Julian Alvarez firs became the labor representative on the Texas Workforce Commission he went on listening tours around the state.
The common denominator at those events, he said, was the question, what are we going to do to train our future workforce?
“How are we going to get a Toyota? How are we going to get some of these major companies to come to South Texas?” Alvarez asked.
He then answered the question. He said the only way was to have highly skilled workers.
Alvarez, whose term as a TWC commissioner has now ended, is now a senior vice president at Lone Star National Bank. But, his previous experience as a commissioner meant he was asked to give the keynote address at South Texas College’s 2nd Annual Apprenticeship Summit.
“Now, one of the things that I did learn from traveling was that students needed options,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said he agreed with a speaker from Region One Education Service Center who said, “you don't have to possess a four year degree to be successful.”
Alvarez said that as a commissioner he tried to get young people interested in the skilled trades.
“We had to make the skilled trades sexy. I needed to make sure that truck driving was an honorable occupation. Welding was honorable. No different than being a nurse. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being a nurse. But somebody had to build the building that the nurses were going to work in.”
Alvarez said he told that line to everybody.
Here is a video recording of Alvarez's remarks at South Texas College's 2nd Annual Apprenticeship Summit:
https://youtu.be/C86GJBZU4gs
