Health Care Project Partners with Alamo Community Colleges

AUSTIN — The Alamo area workforce will benefit from a $359495 Self-Sufficiency Fund grant that the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers. The Self-Sufficiency Fund grant helps individuals transition from public assistance back into the workforce. Alamo Community Colleges have partnered with a three-member healthcare consortium for the grant.

The grant will be used to create 136 patient care assistant public health aid and health educator jobs. Upon completion of training workers will earn an average hourly wage of $10.01. The consortium includes Christus Santa Rosa San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and El Centro Del Barrio.

“The Self-Sufficiency fund helps provide workers with a better education and guaranteed jobs so that they can eventually provide for themselves” state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte said. “I applaud the Texas Workforce Commission Alamo Community Colleges and the three-member health care consortium for the partnership that will help strengthen San Antonio’s economy and benefit hard working San Antonio families.”

 “Workforce development and skills training in health care are at the very heart of economic development in San Antonio” state Sen. Carlos Uresti said. “It is extremely commendable to see how public education and private partnership can work together to create over a 130 jobs in the community.”

“The future of the Alamo economy depends on an educated and trained workforce being readily available” state Rep. Joaquin Castro said. “Thanks to Alamo Community Colleges and the three-member health care consortium for their part in helping achieve this goal and making our workforce stronger.”

“Assisting all Texans to be self-sufficient is one of our top priorities” said TWC Chair and Commissioner Diane Rath. “Thanks to the Governor and the Legislature TWC administers these grants each year assisting thousands of Texans to enjoy the rewards of this great state.”

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Self-Sufficiency Fund grants created or upgraded 2564 jobs. The jobs paid an average hourly wage of $10.24. The grants totaled $5772538 million and assisted 42 Texas employers with their customized training needs. The Legislature has appropriated more than $6.2 million to the Self-Sufficiency Fund for the 2008-09 biennium.

Employers seeking more information about the Self-Sufficiency Fund may visit the TWC Web site at www.texasworkforce.org.

Alamo Community Colleges contact: Kay Hendricks at (210) 208-8006 or khendric@accd.edu