Houston City College has received a $17 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to launch Gulf Coast TradeUp Careers, a program aimed at providing free training in skilled trades and connecting students with paid apprenticeship opportunities.
At a glance
The program is a part of a new $90 million national effort from Bloomberg Philanthropies to change how high school students prepare for high-paying and skilled trades, officials said in a June 8 news release.
The program, which is spearheaded by the Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub, is intended to strengthen the area in:
- Skilled trades workforce development
- Registered apprenticeship expansion
- Industry-driven career pathways
- Earn-and-learn education models
- Workforce innovation
The program is being developed with several partners including HCC, the Greater Houston Partnership, school districts in the Greater Houston area—including Houston and Alief ISDs—as well as several workforce organizations.
Looking ahead
The program, which is slated to begin in August, is set to serve 1,350 students over three years. However, HCC Foundation Board Chair David Itz said the foundation is preparing for what comes after those three years.
“We’ll be planning through that whole time to keep things up and keep it going, but this is a terrific start,” Itz said. “If we can make this a success, it will be a model for other communities all over the country to develop their workforce and their economies.”