Regents OK $30 million training center at Port of Brownsville

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Regents of The Texas A&M University System today approved building a $30 million advanced manufacturing training facility near the Port of Brownsville.

The South Texas Workforce Development Project is proposed for 22 acres owned by the Port of Brownsville and will be paid for with funding from the Permanent University Fund. It will have both classrooms and labs to provide hands-on instruction. The facility will provide training in manufacturing fundamentals and advanced skills, such as mechatronics, computer numeric control, robotics, 3D printing and more.

“The Rio Grande Valley has the fastest growing population in Texas,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “It is critical for the success of the region and the state that practical and affordable training is available, and that’s just what this Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service project will provide.”

The goal of the South Texas Workforce Development Project is to develop a technical workforce for in-demand jobs, while stimulating state-of-the-art sustainable practices and advancements in manufacturing through research and innovation initiatives.

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $7.8 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 23 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu