NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – Some college graduates are returning to the classroom after finding that their degrees did not lead to the careers they expected.
This time, the graduates are learning hands-on trade skills they hope will open new doors in manufacturing and construction.
For Robert Riggs, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English, the path after college was not what he had first imagined.
“I was open to the idea of being a teacher, but I really wanted to go out into the working world, get some experience there and try to translate that back to students,” Riggs said.
After working for a professional services company for several years, Riggs said he needed a change.
“I needed a change of pace,” he said, describing feeling drained at the end of the workday and lacking the energy for anything that required focus or rigor.
Riggs found Skillpoint Alliance at a career fair. The nonprofit offers free, fast career training in skilled trades and manufacturing, according to Dulce Gruwell, the organization’s South Central Texas site director.
The program runs for 10 weeks and is open to people interested in learning trade skills. Students train on equipment such as 3D printers, soldering tools and CNC machines, which are used to cut through metal and other materials.
Riggs said the hands-on work has provided him a different perspective on what he wants from a career.
“Based on my experiences, my values, being able to work with my hands, being able to physically change sort of the material conditions that I’m in is invaluable,” he said.
Skillpoint students have gone on to jobs with companies including Collins Aerospace, Detex and Tesla.
Gruwell said the manufacturing class in New Braunfels has seen strong results this year.
“With our manufacturing class this year in New Braunfels, 100% of our students are employed,” she said.
Riggs is now a graduate for the second time, with a new set of skills and a career goal that was not on his list a few years ago. He hopes to find work in manufacturing or construction.
The next 10-week training with Skillpoint Alliance begins Oct. 26.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a Texas resident and provide proof of the right to work in the United States
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Have a criminal history deemed acceptable by the applicable state licensing agency, including the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation or the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
- Meet income requirements, if applicable to the program
