Blinn Board of Trustees approves agreement to bring industrial skills training to Grimes County
First 40-hour boot camp will begin Feb. 5
December 12, 2017
The Blinn College Board of Trustees has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Navasota regarding a collaborative program to bring industrial skills training to Grimes County.
The board approved the agreement during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Blinn-Brenham Campus. The first industrial skills boot camp taking place as a result of the MOU will begin Monday, Feb. 5, at the Navasota Center at 101 Stadium Drive in Navasota. The course was requested by Navasota industry leaders, and will meet from 5-9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays through March 8.
“With the creation of a unique partnership between Blinn College and Navasota/Grimes County, this is truly an exciting time for Navasota/Grimes County residents and industry,” Navasota City Manager Brad Stafford said. “Approximately eight months ago, Blinn, Navasota, and Grimes County officials formed the Navasota Workforce Committee to develop and deliver industry-directed training that will provide quality candidates for our industrial partners. Through input from our industry partners, the Blinn College Industrial Skills Boot Camp represents the needs of our businesses and will deliver much-needed basic skills to participants for entry-level positions in our manufacturing sector. Successful completion of this training will provide a higher quality candidate for industry.”
The 40-hour, $435 program includes workplace skills, technical/blueprint reading, an introduction to quality production, technical mathematics/measurement, critical skills for success, and an introduction to workplace computer skills. Graduates will earn a national first aid/CPR/AED credential and their U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration 10-hour general industry certification.
“Businesses in the Navasota Industrial Park currently have 35-45 entry-level positions available,” said Jay Anderson, Blinn College Dean of Technical and Community Programs. “This training program provides applicants the math, blueprint reading, quality control, and other skills that make them exceptional, qualified candidates for these positions.”
The application is available at https://blinn.edu/workforce/pdf/student-registration-form.pdf and the scholarship form is available at https://blinn.edu/workforce/scholarships Students can register and pay in person at Navasota City Hall. For more information, contact David Yeager, Director of Blinn College’s A.W. Hodde, Jr. Technical Education Center, at 979-830-4454 or email workforceeducation@navasotatx.gov.
In other business, the board authorized College administrators to seek qualification statements for professional architectural services related to capital improvement projects for a three-year period. Based upon these qualification statements, Blinn will establish a pool of professional firms to provide design and consultant services on an as-needed basis.
The board authorized the College to negotiate, award, and execute a professional services agreement with Kirksey Architecture for the design and construction phase services related to renovations and upgrades to Building 8004 on The Texas A&M University System RELLIS Campus and to seek bids for construction of the proposed improvements. Blinn plans to use the building for health sciences faculty offices beginning in Fall 2019.
Trustees also authorized the College to finalize negotiations and execute professional services agreements for proposed renovations to the W.L. Moody Library; expansion of the W.J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex; and building, wayfinding, and entrance signage on the Brenham Campus.
