HUD Secretary Carson Designates Eastside Center as Federal EnVision Site

At the Alamo Colleges District’s Eastside Education and Training Center (EETC) today, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Dr. Ben Carson presented Alamo Colleges’ Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores with a certificate designating the facility as a federal EnVision Center, one of only two in Texas.

The centers are developed through HUD and meant to make local and federal resources accessible in one place, helping individuals and families who need help finding a job, furthering their education, improving their health or developing leadership skills. 

“EnVision Centers are a way to connect local resources with the people who need them the most. From job training classes to financial counseling, I see so many vital services being provided here that have an unimaginable impact on the lives of the people you help,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “I look forward to seeing the brighter future the Eastside Education Training Center will continue to bring to the San Antonio community.”

“We are pleased to see the importance of our Eastside Education and Training Center to the community recognized by its designation as an EnVision Center,” said Alamo Colleges Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores. “The center, and our others like it, play a key role in our efforts to provide economic and social mobility to our residents and their families, which in turn contributes to the economic prosperity of our community,” he added.

What distinguishes the EnVision Center from other efforts is its access to federal resources such as grants and internship opportunities. The EnVision Center's vision of “empowering all people to fulfill their potential by providing the tools needed to succeed” aligns closely with the Alamo Colleges mission of “empowering our diverse communities for success.” The mission of the EnVision Centers is to provide communities with centralized hubs for support in four areas: economic empowerment; educational advancement; health and wellness; and character and leadership. For more information on the EnVision program, go to http://www.huduser.gov/portal/envisioncenters/home.html

The EETC is a community hub that provides a wide range of services to residents from Alamo Colleges and its partners. The 56,000-square-foot center, located at 4551 Dietrich Road, is a one-stop education and workforce development center designed to meet community members where they live and provide academic and workforce training. It is operated by the Alamo Colleges in partnership with the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). This center offers an array of programs and courses for adults and youth seeking to improve their literacy and employability skills in order to transition to college or entry-level employment. 

The Alamo Colleges District, City of San Antonio, San Antonio Independent School District and other non- profit agencies collaborate to bring this workforce training center to the Eastside community. Because EETC is intended as a “tuition-free zone,” grants support most courses, including approximately $1 million in health-related and adult education/literacy training funds.

Many EETC tenant partners fund full-/part-time operations on-site and have their own grant training funding. The EETC offers a wide variety of programs that are mostly certificate-based. The major grant-funded program at the center, HPOG (Health Profession Opportunity Grants), offers training in medical front office, certified nurse aide, medical assistant, and community health worker. The center also offers GED preparation and testing and basic adult literacy education.

On-site partners include SAISD, United Way, Goodwill, Each One Teach One, Family Services Association and the City of San Antonio – StandUp SA. For more information on the EETC, go to http://ehse20.6030lu.com/about-us/our-district/maps/off-sites/eastside-education--training-center/

At the Alamo Colleges District, high-quality education and affordable costs provide exceptional value to students and alumni who are major contributors to the economy and culture of our community. For more information, go to 6030lu.com.

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