Education
BY VALERIA ESCOBAR & AUBREY VOGEL
HCC o ers workforce connection program Houston City College is working to pro- vide opportunities for high-demand elds with its Connect 2 Workforce Program. What’s happening? The program o ers scholarships for dozens of short-term training tracks in construction, digital technology, health sciences, manufacturing and transportation, which can all be completed in less than 16 weeks, o cials said. Program graduates may qualify for techni- cian jobs in several elds including: • Air conditioning • Plumbing • Electrocardiography
The three- oor building features specialized lab space, active learning classrooms and a connection to the existing building.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SUGAR LAND CAMPUS
UH’s Sugar Land campus opens 2nd academic building, plans growth The newly opened $65 million University of Houston Sugar Land Academic Building 2 now houses programs from the UH Cullen College of Engineering—o ering labs and student services. The details Funded through a 2021 state-approved bond, the 75,000-square-foot building supports in-demand Fort Bend County industries—such as engineering and nursing, while supporting students pursuing degrees in social work, education and business— which o cials say contributes to UH’s commitment to serve students where they live and work. “We’re not creating our own mission—we’re contributing to the University of Houston’s mission: applied research, technology innovation, workforce pipelines and student success,” said Jay Neal, associate vice president and academic a airs and chief operations o cer. Managing the impact The campus currently serves around 4,700 students, and UH President Renu Khator has set a
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Academic Building 2 features Wet, dry and
Traditional and active learning classrooms
computer lab spaces
• Phlebotomy • Patient care • Welding • Commercial truck drivers • Data analysts
Student advising o ces and lounge areas
Public art installments
A sky bridge connecting to Sugar Land Academic Building 1
“Not everyone needs or wants a four-year degree,” said Daniel Dylla, HCC director of instructional initiatives. “Right now, Hous- ton needs skilled workers who can quickly step into roles where demand is high.” Zooming out The college also launched its Houston Reconnect Initiative, a scholarship program aimed at supporting students nancially by paying tuition and fees for those who are interested in nishing their degree at HCC.
SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SUGAR LAND CAMPUS COMMUNITY IMPACT
goal to grow the campus to 10,000 students. The university owns over 200 acres of land in the area, which Neal said gives UH's Sugar Land campus room to accommodate growth. O cials said the college is going step-by-step and will be seeking funds from the 2027 legislature to fund other neighboring instructional buildings. Among the needs, Neal noted the current facilities lack space for student gathering opportunities.
TSTC opens $35M Transportation Technology Center
Transportation Technology Center
Texas’s transportation and industrial sectors. In March 2024, TSTC Provost Bryan Bowling told Community Impact that the demand in the auto- mobile industry is caused by an aging workforce retiring and a larger need for electric vehicle technicians. How we got here The building was funded through the Capital Construction Assistance Projects under Senate Bill 52 during the 87th Texas legislative session
Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus has opened a new state-of-the-art facility, representing a more than $35 million investment from the state in technical education and workforce development for the region. The over 100,000-square-foot Transportation Technology Center in Rosenberg will house the automotive, automotive collision and manage- ment, and expanded diesel equipment programs. These three elds are in high demand across
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in 2021, Community Impact reported. Following a ground breaking in November, the building is now open to the public.
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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