Region One driving career readiness, economic development across six counties

EDINBURG, Texas – Region One Education Service Center (Region One) has been awarded a second Tri-Agency Convener grant for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 

The service center has also received an additional award for the Laredo area, expanding its reach into Jim Hogg, Webb and Zapata counties.

The Texas Tri-Agency Initiative, established in March 2016 by Governor Greg Abbott, connects education and industry through collaboration among three state agencies: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Education Agency. The goal is to provide all Texans with high-quality education and workforce training for economic prosperity. 

The initiative focuses on three key goals: Strengthening career pathways in education, enhancing employer engagement and aligning pathways to workforce needs, and promoting work-based learning and economic development.

The role of a designated Tri-Agency regional convener is to oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of the regional strategy for high-quality career and education pathways into targeted industries across an entire workforce development area.

Region One ESC Director of Innovative School Models Bobbie Sue Gonzalez said the dual designation amplifies Region One’s efforts to align education with workforce demands, thereby creating clearer pathways to high-wage, in-demand careers for students across six counties in partnership with local government, higher education and private employers.

 “We are excited to continue and expand our role as Regional Convener and to ensure students have access to career pathways that lead to long-term success,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said that during its first round as Regional Convener for the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Region One led a two-year planning phase with industry leaders in education, government, information technology and healthcare. Their efforts resulted in a regional strategic plan, which aligned the education system to workforce needs and built a foundation for long-term economic growth.

“As a team, we will work to fill gaps around the region and analyze our assets to maximize student and industry prosperity,” Gonzalez said.

Having received an additional award, Region One will now begin the implementation phase in the RGV while launching a similar planning process in the Laredo area, she explained.

Gonzalez said that through its continued leadership as a Tri-Agency Regional Convener, Region One is implementing initiatives that align K-12 education with high-need sectors such as healthcare and education, expand college and career access through dual-credit, workforce certifications and aligned degree pathways, and collaborate closely with employers to ensure students earn industry-recognized credentials and are job-ready upon graduation.

Region One continues its work as a Regional Convener lead by continuing to strengthen regional partnerships among school district, higher education institutions and employers, especially in the Laredo area, Gonzalez elaborated.

The service center will also expand technical offerings to schools, increasing opportunities for students to engage in on-site career learning, she added.

Editor’s Note: For more information on Region One ESC’s role as the Tri-Agency Regional Convener, visit www.esc1.net/tri-agency-convener.

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