Udall, Heinrich Announce Nearly $15 Million for New Mexico Community Colleges

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that 11 community colleges in New Mexico will receive $14,999,863 in federal funding to provide innovative training programs, in partnership with local businesses, to help New Mexican adults advance into high-wage careers. The funding, provided under Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant program, will allow these community colleges to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs that will help job seekers get the skills they need for in-demand jobs in New Mexico’s health care industry. 

“Our community colleges provide quality training and education to more than 80,000 New Mexicans each year, and this funding will help them better prepare veterans and those whose jobs were affected by foreign trade develop the skills for high wage jobs in health care,” Udall said. “This investment in our community college system will ensure that New Mexican workers have the training they need to succeed in these in-demand career opportunities. With more New Mexicans requiring access to quality health care and health promotion services, New Mexico needs health professionals to address this growing demand. Programs like the New Mexico Skill UP Network will go a long way in helping increase the number and skills of these health experts.”

“This funding will allow colleges across New Mexico to provide workers with quality job training to help fill New Mexico’s expanding health care and technology workforce needs,” Heinrich said. “Investments in education and job training will have a significant and lasting impact on our economy and ensure all New Mexicans have the skills they need to compete for quality jobs."

The TAACCT competitive grant program, which is co-administered by the Department of Labor and Department of Education, has provided $23 million to New Mexico institutions in the past four years. Today’s funding will benefit the New Mexico Skill UP Network, which will work with 23 employer partners and 17 industry representatives expand and improve the delivery of health care career pathways; increase attainment of degrees, certifications and industry recognized credentials; and align education and workforce systems to improve employment outcomes. The consortium is led by Santa Fe Community College, which will receive $5,682,738.  Other recipients are:

• Central New Mexico Community College: $1,983,779
• San Juan Community College: $1,366,921
• Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell: $1,145,445
• Eastern New Mexico University, Ruidoso: $576,767
• New Mexico State University, Alamagordo: $807,012
• University of New Mexico, Taos: $688,983
• University of New Mexico, Valencia: $788,029
• University of New Mexico, Los Alamos: $579,961
• University of New Mexico, Gallup: $866,967
• Mesalands Community College: $553,623