Workforce Solutions Cameron is committed to help build the pipeline for skilled workers in the manufacturing industry, with huge industry projects including SpaceX, Big River steel, and LNG terminals coming to Cameron County, the need for skilled workers including pipefitters, and welders is in the thousands.
Since 2017, our annual Heavy Metal Tour (HMT) has exposed hundreds of high school students in Cameron County to an immersive two-day experience that involves visiting local manufacturing companies and later interacting with professionals in the industry.
With the collaboration of economic development councils, school districts, local community colleges, and the private sector, our Heavy Metal Tours & Manufacturing Forums are a major stepping stone in the efforts of planting the seeds for skilled manufacturing workers in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Heavy Metal Tour was created in an attempt to make manufacturing careers more accessible for the youth in Cameron County. Drawing inspiration from field trips and fusing them with a reference to the music genre, the Heavy Metal Tour surely catches the attention of those hearing it for the first time, something that has proved useful when approaching new community partners.
While there is a growing interest in our region for promoting manufacturing careers, the Heavy Metal Tour is WFS Cameron's grassroots effort to expose the use of this fast growing industry in an engaging way.
The Heavy Metal Tour pushes the boundaries of traditional field trips, as it involves the visit of not one or two, but four different manufacturing plants in one day. This opportunity is appreciated by school district officials who earnestly support this initiative by helping us coordinate bus tours, lunch boxes, etc.
While some companies do not allow us to take photographs inside their premises, they still welcome and collaborate with our team to better accommodate the students.
Each tour is complemented by a Manufacturing Expo or Forum, in which successful professionals with ties to the RGV share their valuable insights and stories with the youth. This part of the two-day experience is also appreciated by the youth as they get to ask manufacturing workers their own questions as well.
This interaction has proven to be highly engaging for the youth and it's interesting for the local media, as each edition has made headlines. Accolades earned by the Heavy Metal Tour include an honorable mention in the 2020 Workforce Excellence Awards issued by the Texas Economic Development Council to and a proclamation from the City of Brownsville in support of the NorCal tour in 2017.
To optimize the conversation between industry experts and students, in 2019 Workforce Solutions Cameron began organizing forums highlighting successful professionals with ties to the Rio Grande Valley. Because we curate this line of experts, students get to hear valuable insights and relatable stories from the professionals themselves.
After general questions posed by the moderator, students ask their own questions. The form is typically closed by a keynote presentation, either a motivational speaker or a highly recognized expert in the field. Our SEEDS Industry Forums allow for a memorable engaging and inspiring experience.
To maximize this impact and reduce the hassle of transporting students, these conversations are live-streamed on Facebook, which allows for remote participation but from other school districts.
We have been honored to host every industry professional whose valuable time and insights have helped inspire a future workforce. These are a few of them.
Dr. Belinda Reininger, regional dean of the UT Health School of Public Health in Brownsville and Professor of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Daisy Zamora, epidemiologist with the National; Institutes of Health
Dr. Murad Abusalim, dean of STEM at Texas Southmost College
Judge Jonathan Gracia, justice of the peace, Cameron County Precinct 2-2, and attorney-at-law
Mr. Art Garza, CEO of Valley Regional Medical Center
Ms. Esmy Villarreal, president and CEO of Brownsville Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Frank Acevedo, chief nursing officer with Valley Regional Medical Center
Mr. Heriberto Reynoso, former NASA engineer and founder of Reybotics
Mr. Jed Murray, owner of Tenaza Farms
Mr. Jesse Sauceda, president of Sauceda’s Precision Grinding, Inc.
Mr. Rene Capistran, president and CEO of Noble Texas Builders
Editor's Note: The above guest column was penned by Manuel Morales, community engagement and communications manager for Workforce Solutions Cameron. The column appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the author. Morales can be reached by email via: manuel.morales@wfscameron.org.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column is the second in a three-part series on Workforce Solutions Cameron’s recent manufacturing forum. Click here to read Part One. Part Three will appear in our next edition.
