EPA & NADBank award funding for Rio Grande Valley water worker training program

McAllen, Texas- The Skills for Sustainability (S4S) Water Workforce Training Program has officially launched in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) for up to 50 regional water industry workers. The U.S.-Mexico Border 2025 Program is providing a US$80,000 grant for its implementation.

The Border 2025 program is a joint initiative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their Mexican counterpart, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), which operates with funds from EPA and is administered by the North American Development Bank (NADBank).

The Trust for the Americas along with South Texas College will implement the program, designed to provide targeted upskilling for 19 employees from the McAllen Public Utility Board (PUB) in areas such as machinery operations safety, environmental literacy and workforce readiness. The first cohort with the PUB began last week focused on heavy machinery with an emphasis on backhoe operations.

“Programs like the S4S water workforce training program succeed because of strong, mission-driven partnerships,” said John Beckham, NADBank Managing Director. “We are grateful to EPA for its support, to The Trust for the Americas for leading implementation, to South Texas College for delivering the training, and to former Texas Workforce Commissioner Julian Alvarez for helping advance this effort in the Rio Grande Valley. We are also pleased that McAllen Public Utility Board (PUB) is utilizing this program to help strengthen the water workforce our border communities need.”

Mark Vega, McAllen PUB General Manager commented, “we are very excited and grateful to be working with NADBank on this critical (and most important) component to our Water Systems, our people. Better trained employees make for a better workforce. Thank you NADBank!”

Additionally, approximately 30 low-income workers will receive training to access entry-level jobs with local water operators through digital skills and other relevant coursework, as well as preparations to obtain a Type D License from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The training is expected to conclude on December 22^nd, 2026.

“During my time as Workforce Commissioner, I saw firsthand how important it is to prepare today’s workforce with the technical skills needed for tomorrow’s jobs,” said former Texas Workforce Commissioner Julian Alvarez. “Across Texas, many high-demand careers require industry-recognized certificates and certifications. Programs like S4S are an excellent example of how we can meet the workforce needs of employers, not only across Texas, but throughout the nation.”

Since its inception in 2023, S4S has supported specialized training of 431 members of the workforce in the El Paso-Juarez region. Thanks to the efforts of key strategic partners like Microsoft, the Success Trough Technology Foundation (STTE) and Western Tech, 103 participants from El Paso, Texas and 328 from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua concluded their training before securing job placements at high-level organizations such as El Paso Water, the local water utility in Ciudad Juarez, Veolia and the Water House Group.