McCoy’s Building Supply is partnering with the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce along with initial Education Partners La Cima and Frost Bank to help create a new Education and Talent Pipeline Development program. Pictured from left to right are Nick Spears, McCoy’s Building Supply Customer Relations Specialist; CJ Odam, San Marcos CISD Director of CTE and Federal Programs; Page Michel, San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO; Liz Castañeda, San Marcos Area Chamber Education & Talent Pipeline Director; Tiffany Quibodeaux, San Marcos Area Chamber Membership Development Executive and Lively Bryner, San Marcos High School teacher.
Photos courtesy of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce
Education & Talent Pipeline Development Director Liz Castañeda
Nick Spears, with McCoys, along with Page Michel, President and CEO of the Chamber, and CJ Odam, with San Marcos CISD’s Career and Technical Education program.
Photo courtesy of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce
Chamber launches new Education and Talent Pipeline Development Initiative
The San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce is launching a new Education & Talent Pipeline Development program, aimed at bridging the gap between education and industry to shape the future workforce of the local region.
Recognizing the critical need for a continuous supply of workers for area businesses to succeed – the “talent pipeline” – the chamber is actively collaborating with partners in the workforce development ecosystem. The goal is to strengthen its capacity as a local best practice provider of talent development programs, closely aligned with employer needs and dedicated to supporting regional workforce development efforts.
Spearheaded by the Chamber Board of Directors and launched by Chamber President Page Michel thanks to funding from Hays County Commissioners Court, this endeavor features a newly appointed Education & Talent Pipeline Development Director, Liz Castañeda. Liz, an alumna of Texas State University, holds a BSW and MSW with a concentration in Administrative Leadership. Currently pursuing her PhD in Adult, Professional and Community Education, Liz’s experiences and commitment to education make her a key asset to the program.
“We are excited about the launch of this initiative and honored to have Liz Castañeda direct our current and future programs. These are crucial to boosting our region’s workforce efforts to meet the needs of our growing community,” said Michel.
The launch of this program needed seed sponsors finding Education Partners in Frost Bank, La Cima and McCoy’s Building Supply. The early contributions from those businesses are helping to provide resources for area students to explore careers aligned with local business needs.
McCoy’s has donated materials for students at San Marcos High School, empowering them to participate in a handson learning experience. As part of this initiative, students are building boards for the Chamber’s inaugural Cornhole Tournament scheduled for March 22. These materials provided by Mc-Coy’s are being utilized to construct the cornhole boards that will be used in the tournament.
For more information on the Education & Talent Pipeline Development program, please contact the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce at 512-393-5900 or education@sanmarcostexas. com.
