Hi Friends,

We are so excited to usher in our 2024 Summer Semester which begins on May 6th. As many of you know, we have Welding, Pipefitting, Instrumentation, Mobile Crane Operations/Rigging, Construction Site Safety, NCCER Assessments, and Electrical, and Plumbing Apprenticeships. In this blog entry, we thought we would take a moment to ensure that you know exactly who we are and what we do.

What many may not know is that Craft Training Center offers very affordable education. Did you know that you can finish most of our programs for under $2,000? As opposed to other trade schools in the area where a student could easily end up in $20,000 of debt if not more.

Did you know that most students graduate from CTC with little to no debt? If a prospective student is unable to come up with the funds for that semester, there is hope! We not only have a scholarship program, but we also partner with an organization known as Workforce Solutions. They are a wonderful resource if you’re in need of tuition assistance. Give us a call, and we would be happy to help you navigate that option. Another fun fact is that students do not need a prerequisite of a GED or High School Diploma for our Welding, Pipefitting, Instrumentation, Mobile Crane Operations/Rigging, and Construction Site Safety Programs.

Money and logistics aside, we are what’s known as a Merit Shop Training Program. What exactly does that mean? Well, it means that our students are not only tested on paper for knowledge but are also tested through a performance verification process (hands-on) to ensure that they know exactly what they are doing once they eventually work in the field. This curriculum is based on NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) which is what many companies require their employees to have.

We are blessed to have a dedicated team of instructors. They are all experts within their specific fields and are very passionate about what they do. Most of them are retired from the field, so the fact that they have the heart and motivation to usher in the next generation of skilled trades workers says a lot about them. I mean, they could be sunbathing on the beach every day, but they choose to be here!

Finally, our rockstar Administration Team! Rosa Valdez is our NCCER Assessment Proctor and ACT Student Services Coordinator, Melinda Garcia is our Adult Programs Coordinator, Cyndie Cavazos is our High School Programs Coordinator, Janel Wilson is our Controller/Electrical & Plumbing Apprenticeship Coordinator, Wayne Kelly is our President and Victoria Hall is our Marketing Coordinator.

Our team is made up of people that genuinely care about our students and their experience here on our campus. Though we are small, we are quite mighty. Each one of us takes a lot of pride in what we do, and we truly believe in the purpose of Craft Training Center and its positive impact on the community. We hope to continue to serve the Coastal Bend for many years to come and we look forward to the future!

Until next time,

The Craft Training Center Team