Thanks to a generous donation from the Port of San Antonio, SAMSAT launched a new education and training center in August to begin delivering skills training and job placement services to people throughout the community hard-hit by the pandemic.
SAMSAT quickly partnered with Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA) and fellow Port San Antonio resident company Dynamic Advancement (DA) to develop training and placement programs for in-demand skills in the region, including critically targeted occupations in IT/computer support, business operations management and human resources administration.
On October 16, 2020, County Judge Nelson Wolff, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia and other community leaders announced the new workforce training initiative at a socially distant press conference. The event also celebrated the first and current cohort of students who began training at the new SAMSAT facility on Oct. 5.
Currently, the program has the capacity to support cohorts totaling up to 400 students with approximately 130 students undertaking socially-distanced in-person classes at the SAMSAT facility and the remainder of students participating in the same courses virtually streamed live.
SAMSAT, WSA, DA and other partners are currently working to fill new cohorts beginning later in October and November. Additionally, WSA and SAMSAT are in discussions with additional partners as part of upcoming classes, including the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation’s SA Works program; Alamo Colleges and Project Quest.
At the event, CEO Doug King also surprised everyone when he announced the education center was officially named “The David Monroe Education Center” after SAMSAT Founder and Chair.