Celebrate Career & Technical Education Opportunities in February
February 7, 2025
Workforce attraction, retention and development are top of mind for businesses and communities nationwide. February marks Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, providing an excellent opportunity to recognize the invaluable efforts of the educational institutions, professional organizations and regional stakeholders dedicated to helping employers and job-seekers achieve their professional goals.
The Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation seeks to drive economic growth by targeting the attraction and recruitment of business and industrial employers that provide economic-based jobs in the Gallup-McKinley County area. Collaboration with numerous organizations is invaluable in implementing the region’s career and technical education needs.
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of New Mexico - Gallup Branch
Knowledgeable, experienced staff at the SBDC at UNM - Gallup Branch assists start-up and existing small businesses in McKinley County. Existing small businesses and entrepreneurs can receive one-to-one counseling, training, and instructional programs at no charge.
The SBDC can assist in business plan development, packaging loan applications, financial planning including cost analysis and revenue projections, marketing and social media assistance, export and procurement guidance, complying with permit, licensing, and other regulations, productivity enhancement, and supporting the start-up and/or expansion process for small businesses.
University of New Mexico - Gallup
UNM – Gallup is a branch campus of the University of New Mexico. UNM-Gallup is a comprehensive vocational and transfer institution with numerous certificate, associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Its Center for Career and Technical Education represents a cooperative effort with regional public and private secondary education institutions to provide career and technical education courses that individual high schools do not offer.
Students earn credits toward high school graduation and programs at the UNM-Gallup Campus, such as Construction Technology, Criminal Justice, Introduction to Health Careers, Welding Technology and other high-demand careers.
The Southwest Indian Foundation runs the Industrial Workforce Program to help Gallup and McKinley County residents gain the skills needed for in-demand jobs and for area employers to have access to a consistent pipeline of qualified candidates. The no-cost, 12-week training program offers classroom and hands-on training, followed by an internship, pre-apprenticeship programs or long-term job.
The City of Gallup, McKinley County, and the State of New Mexico have a variety of tax incentives that may apply to workforce education programs. Of special note is the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), formerly the Industrial Development Training Program.
JTIP funds classroom and on-the-job training for newly-created jobs in expanding or relocating businesses for up to 6 months at an employee wage reimbursement level of 50-90% of employee wages. Potential also exists to reimburse custom training at a New Mexico public educational institution.
Celebrate Career & Technical Education
The collaborative climate of McKinley County and the surrounding regions is absolutely a reason to celebrate! Please contact the GGEDC for assistance connecting with the career and technical education for your workforce needs today!