Built by Association

How connecting candidates to careers in the skilled trades is changing the conversation. by tom

After spending much of his professional career advocating for companies and organizations in business sectors such as transportation and manufacturing, Bill Webb found himself at a crossroads in 2020.

“An acquaintance of mine owned a large supply company, and both he and his customers were having a hard time finding skilled trades people,” he says. “They asked me if I would create and lead an effort that would promote the trades here in Texas.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

But Webb’s story seemed to suggest he might one day end up precisely where he is, doing exactly what he does: advocating and lobbying for the skilled trades as founder and CEO of Associated Industries of Texas (AITX).

The mission of AITX is “to build and maintain a coordinated, unified, focused, and effective effort to promote skilled trade jobs in Texas,” according to a statement on the organization’s official website.

Foremost among those goals, says Webb—a veteran of the trucking and logistics, retail and manufacturing industries, and former CEO of the Texas Motor Transportation Association—is the importance of presenting a unified effort.

“Finding skilled trades people was a problem that a lot of businesses knew needed to be addressed,” Webb says. “There are associations and companies that recognize the problem, but they’re not always working in unison.

“Part of our job is to identify how and where those efforts are being made and then bring them together for maximum impact.”

That approach is working. In just over two years, AITX has grown to more than 550 member organizations that support the association’s effort to connect qualified job candidates to careers in the skilled trades.

But wait: Did that say qualified candidates? Can’t just about anybody do those jobs?

That’s a misconception Webb and AITX are determined to battle. The jobs are called skilled trades for a reason: Not just anybody can do them.

By definition, skilled trades are occupations that require a specific skill set, ability or body of knowledge. They typically fall into five categories: agriculture, construction, manufacturing/ industrial, service and transportation.

Most skilled trades require specific training, which is available through career technical education, public or private technical schools or the military. Another form of education is an apprenticeship, which is typically on-the-job training that allows a candidate to earn while they learn.

delamater | illustration by lisa blair

Another misconception to dispel—one that is easier said than done—is to change the perception early on that trade jobs are fallbacks.

“If you can get kids at a young age, say as early as middle school, to focus on doing something they’re interested in, you have a better chance of them turning it into a career,” he says. “To talk to an eighth grader about what they’re going to do for a living may be a stretch, but to talk to them about what they enjoy doing is a different story.”

Webb points out that for decades, sometimes going back generations, many people who entered the skilled trades did so because their father or grandfather had been a truck driver or a welder or a carpenter. It was almost assumed they would follow in their footsteps.

A ‘Texas Toast’ to the Trades

The goals of the Associated Industries of Texas (AITX) are:

Encourage young people to be proud professionals in skilled trades

Make skilled trade professionals a first-choice career

Remove the stigma of blue-collar trades jobs

Promote the earnings potential and job satisfaction associated with skilled trades

Close the skills gap in Texas

Promote a public/private collaborative model to prepare the Texas workforce for the economic demands of the strongest state economy in the U.S.

Develop, execute, and maintain an effective political and image campaign that illustrates the importance of—and value in—skilled trade jobs in Texas

But that dynamic has changed, he says, and family traditions no longer draw young people into the skilled trades. As a result, employers and organizations like AITX have their work cut out for them.

“The perception developed that a trade is just a fallback position,” Webb says. “If somebody failed at going to college or didn’t get a four-year degree, they would just settle for a job in construction or plumbing or transportation.

“Even today, not many people get up in the morning and say they want to be a welder or a carpenter,” he continues. “So the big challenge is changing the perception in middle school and high school so young people—and their parents—don’t think of the trades as fallback jobs.”

The way to change that perception, he points out, is to change the conversation.

“We’ve got to change the language we use, to help parents understand that a career in the skilled trades can be long, fulfilling and often lucrative,” Webb says. “One way to get that message across to parents and their children is to put facts and figures into the hands of school counselors.”

To that end, AITX is developing a virtual toolkit to provide counselors with information about jobs, training and earning potential. The goal is to break down the stereotypes students and their parents may have.

One example would be a diesel mechanic. “They may be turning wrenches, but they’ll probably spend a lot more time on a computer than they do under a hood,” Webb says. “Then you get into robotics and other tools of the trade, and it’s a whole different ballgame.”

Another area of emphasis is working with public school districts that have the money to offer career tech programs but lack the business and industry connections in their region. AITX helps foster those connections so that, as schools produce qualified graduates, there are jobs and more training opportunities available to help them take the next step in their careers.

A final key is to help employers understand what is required to take full advantage of the talent pool schools are producing.

“Many of them say they need more qualified candidates,” he says, “but we want to help set them up with strategic partners or in-house training programs so they can educate new hires on how to do their jobs properly.”

Webb says AITX has made considerable progress in its first two years, but there is much more to do.

“We don’t want young people to think that deciding to pursue a skilled trades career means you settled for second best,” he says. “Helping them decide on a career path early in life and get the training they’ll need to be successful will result in a winwin situation—for themselves and their future employers.”

Since our first campus opened in 1967, TCC has conferred more than 130,000 degrees and certificates upon people who, mostly, have established themselves in this same region. Creating everyday heroes who enhance our community…that’s what we do.

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These former TCC students prove that community colleges help create bright futures. by heide brandes

Even today, misconceptions and myths exist that lead people to believe that community colleges are somehow less valuable than a four-year school. Nothing can be further from the truth, and more and more people and employers are discovering why this stigma is unfounded.

Community colleges like Tarrant County College can be beneficial to students who face serious barriers to traditional success like language issues, low-income backgrounds or significantly underrepresented populations. Or, oftentimes, life gets in the way of making college a full-time job. However, as these four former students of TCC prove, choosing community college can be the secret to your success and a way to strengthen both academic and nonacademic skills.

Brisa Renteria CEO IMPROVE GROWTH

BRISA RENTERIA ALWAYS HAD TO figure things out on her own. As a first generation U.S. citizen, having moved to Euless, Texas, at age 12 from Mexico City, she had a sales and entrepreneurial spirit, but no family history of how to navigate the college experience.

TCC was her introduction not only to the world of academics, but to entrepreneurship and growth as well. Today, she is CEO of Improve Growth, a business she started in September 2020 in the middle of COVID, and after having a baby.

“My mom was a single mom, and I have a sister, but my mom always instilled in us that we had to go to school,” she says. “She always said, ‘I brought you here to the U.S. It’s the land of opportunity. You got to go to school. You got to get your degree and you got to become somebody.’ A big component of that for her was education.”

The desire for an education was in place, but funds were not. After graduating from Trinity High School in 2009, Renteria turned to TCC because of its affordability. She was the first member of her family to enroll in college, and that meant learning the ins and outs of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enrollment.

“I was 17 years old when I started at TCC,” Renteria recalls. “I was kind of the baby of the group because a lot of older people go there. It was my first glimpse into really being an adult because there is a big difference between high school and college.

“TCC was very welcoming. It was an easier experience going to a community college than going to a full-on university, and of course, significantly more affordable than going to the university.”

Even when she was a child living in Mexico, Renteria had an entrepreneur’s spirit, selling ice cream and toys as an adolescent. Her mother encouraged her to pursue that business mindset, and Renteria earned an associate degree in Business at TCC before transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington.

After working for a sales training company for five years, Renteria realized she could offer something better. Using the skills and knowledge she gained at TCC, she started her own sales training company, Improve Growth, in September 2020, mere months after having a baby.

“Being 17 and going to school with 30-, 40- and 50-year-olds taught me what to have conversations about, how to conduct myself, how to carry myself and how to ask questions,” she says. “It definitely matures you a bit more for a work and educational environment. Starting a business in the middle of COVID with a newborn baby was challenging, but I was able to take the leap and do it and figure it out. I’ve always had to figure it out myself, and TCC was a great training ground for that.”

These days, Renteria says she still uses the skills and the critical thinking adeptness she learned at TCC in her successful venture. She also notices when potential employees have TCC listed on their resumes.

“I always have an emotional attachment to candidates from TCC because I identify with them,” she says proudly. “So when we do get a resume that lists TCC, I’m personally attached to them.”

ANTHONY RUSS’ ORIGINAL PLAN AFTER leaving high school was to play college basketball for four years. He struggled with that plan during his freshman year at another institution, so he withdrew from school. Although he spent the following summer working, his parents continued to encourage him to continue his education.

“My aunt, who lives in Arlington, inspired me to continue my education by pursuing my associate degree at TCC. My aunt and her husband opened their door to me, allowing me to move in with them and start my first semester at TCC,” he says.

TCC was a fresh start for Russ. “After accepting that I would not continue my athletic career, I knew that business and technology would be my ideal career path,” he says. The programs offered at TCC helped Russ earn his associate degree before pursuing a bachelor of business administration degree at The University of North Texas. Today, Russ says TCC was the foundation he needed to propel him into his career.

“TCC was an amazing institution for me. I regained my confidence in the classroom and became an honor roll student and was initiated into Phi Theta Kappa: International College Honor Society due to my outstanding grades,” he says. “I made

Anthony Russ

Business Operations Manager Cisco

COLLABORATION

many great friends on campus, and my professors helped me achieve my goals while also challenging me.“

More important, he says, TCC helped build the business foundation that he stands on today in his career. He developed the confidence needed to unlock his potential and create his own future. As his career aspirations continue to evolve, namely to become a senior level executive, he relies upon the skills he learned at TCC.

“This college showed me that it’s possible to achieve your goals when you apply yourself and work hard,” Russ says. “No matter where you come from or your situation, TCC will help you get to where you want to go.”

In addition to Russ’s position as business operations manager at Cisco Collaboration, he is also instrumental in the company’s diversity efforts. He is a member of the Connected Black Professional Group, where he serves on the Wellbeing Mental/ Emotional Track. “At TCC, I took an ‘intro to golf’ course,” he recalls. “That is a bit of the fun side, however, it became very valuable as I went into my first corporate job after college. I learned that a lot of business is completed on golf courses. Although I’m not very good at the game, I enjoy doing business on the golf course.”

Flor Alvarado

REAL ESTATE AGENT/ FOUNDER

Flor Alvarado Realty Group

FLOR ALVARADO WAS 18 WHEN she moved from Chihuahua, Mexico, to Fort Worth to pursue a career and a new life. She promptly enrolled in English as a second language while working as a babysitter and a housekeeper to make ends meet. But she was determined to get her GED, regardless of the fact she was still undocumented.

“I knew that getting an education was the way forward,” Alvarado says. She and her husband, Jorge, had three children, and as a mother of U.S. citizens, Alvarado could then establish residency in the U.S. She also had a new top goal in mind to earn a college degree.

“I decided to go to TCC and began taking core college classes. It wasn’t easy. At 40 years old, I was much older than the typical college freshman,” she says. “TCC was the most wonderful experience that I could have in my life: It helped me to see my potential and also gave me the strength to get rid of my fears. I was very timid to speak since I did not know the language very well, but I got in the habit of taking notes of everything the professors were teaching in class, and that helped me so much to learn faster.”

Despite the language barrier, Alvarado says she did not feel any different from the other students. She loved her speech class and earned “the best speech of the class,” which further boosted her confidence.

“I remember multiple times that I would leave class and walk down the hallways with tears in my eyes thanking God for this amazing opportunity to be attending a college in the United States,” she says. “I also loved how professional all the professors were, so respectful and straight to the point. I recommend TCC to every person who doesn’t have a way to attend a university and who wants to save money. I also recommend it because they offer so much help and opportunities for everyone. I used to spend my days at the tutoring room and there was always someone there to help me.”

Alvarado originally majored in psychology, but the time constraints of working while attending college meant she would be in classes for years. A friend suggested that she change gears and take classes to become a Realtor.

“So, I registered at the Champions Real Estate School,” Alvarado says. She quickly succeeded in passing all the requirements to become a real estate agent. She also became a U.S. citizen and started her own company, Flor Alvarado Realty Group, LLC, and Flor Alvarado Rentals, LLC, with Keller Williams Brokerage.

“I honestly loved the experience at TCC and I am very appreciative of everything that I learned, especially because it changed my life for the best and it helped me to lose my fears,” she says.

“I am now a business owner and an investor. One of the things that I have always enjoyed is helping others. Now I teach people how to invest and become business owners as well.”

BORN IN CHICAGO BUT RAISED in Euless, Texas, Hussain Manjee was like a lot of other high school students: He lacked the financial means as a high school grad to consider college, but TCC offered a solution that he said started him on a path of education and success.

“I come from very humble beginnings,” he says. “The dual credit program with TCC was brilliant because it allowed me to earn college credits while I was still in high school without incurring a huge bill.” After graduating high school, he decided to continue with TCC and took more courses. While a college student, Manjee was also working. When he was ready, he was accepted into a different program that allowed him to finish up his bachelor’s degree.

Manjee’s education journey was only beginning with his bachelor’s degree from DeVry University. After majoring in computer science, he worked in a corporate environment for a few years before realizing he was looking for something more. He returned to school to enroll in a graduate marketing certification program at SMU and then earned his masters in business administration from Babson College in Boston.

“TCC was the starting point,” he recalls. “It gave me a lot

Hussain Manjee CHIEF SUCCESS OFFICER DHD FILMS

of the credits I needed, but it also gave me a really good understanding of the environment and the space to find out what I wanted to do.”

Today, Manjee is the Chief Success Officer of DHD Films, a full service video production agency that works with enterprises and brands like UT Southwestern, Parkland Hospital, the City of Dallas and D/FW Airport. DHD Films was founded by Manjee’s brother, and he started working at the company in 2010 to help scale and grow the company.

“For Parkland, we’re doing a series of videos that talk about helping women who are struggling with breast cancer and educating them on their journey and what to expect,” he says. “With D/FW Airport, we do a lot of the digital signage videos that you and I would see when we’re going through the airport.”

Without the dual credit program offered at TCC and his initial experience at the college, Manjee says he is unsure if he would have even attended college. “Honestly, where I was at that point in life, I didn’t even know if a college education was something that I was going to pursue,” he says. “I didn’t know if I could afford it. I don’t know if without dual credit programs I would have even started down the path of getting an education.

“At TCC, I started appreciating the diversity of backgrounds that were there and the different journeys that people were on. You have students right out of high school next to adult students, so I met these different people. I truly learned and immersed myself in fully engaging with these people.”

Learning about other people and their backgrounds at TCC inspires Manjee even today. “My company is powered by storytellers. For me, it’s all of these stories along my life that I’ve seen and learned from that has allowed me to become successful in this business today.”