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East Side Education Center Prepares San Antonio Residents For High-Demand Jobs

Courtesy EastPoint
Students in the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program take classes on October 2017.

For those looking to build a career focused on technical skills, the EastSide Education & Training Center is a community-based option for earning access to an entry-level job or higher education opportunities.

The EETC provides core courses like math and reading, along with resources to help students pass the General Education Development (GED) test, which is equivalent to high school completion.

Other programs are geared towards services like administrative assistance, cybersecurity and information technology.

Healthcare-specific curriculum offers a pathway to a variety of careers in that industry, from certified nursing assistant to pharmacy technician. 

The center, which opened in November 2016, is a collaboration between local nonprofits, San Antonio Independent School District, Alamo Colleges and the City of San Antonio's Eastside Promise Zone initiative. 

About 250 students have successfully finished programs at the EETC since January 2018 and 85 percent of graduates reported finding employment.

The center plans to add more programs in the near future, including child care development, welding and "career focused" English language classes. 

How are local groups and organizations supporting valuable community resources like the the EastSide Education & Training Center? Why is the EETC important for San Antonio?

Guests: 

  • William "Cruz" Shaw, San Antonio City Council representative for District 2
  • Dr. Federico Zaragoza, vice chancellor of economic & workforce development for Alamo Colleges
  • Michelle Vigil, senior management analyst for the Office of EastPoint

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Jan Ross Piedad Sakian is TPR’s News Operations Producer. In this role, she develops strategy on collaborative and digital initiatives for the station. Since 2016, Jan Ross has served in a coordinating capacity for TPR’s state and national partners, including The Texas Newsroom.