The bulk of courses offered at the Center for Workforce Preparedness will soon be moved to the ASC, as the first step toward completely vacating the Lomaland location.
“The building belongs to the Greater Chamber of Commerce,” said Yolanda Chavez Ahner, interim vice president of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning. “We’ve been renting the space for about six years.”
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Workforce Development Department, Workplace Literacy Department, Contract Opportunity Center (COC), Customized Training Department and the Associate Vice President (AVP) offices are planning to move to the B building of the ASC early next semester.
“I’m hoping we move in February,” said Ahner. “Only the construction program will be left at this location.”
The construction program is scheduled to move to the Mission del Paso campus within the next two years.
“The construction program will be moved
based on availability of funding,” Ahner said. “The new site will require the college to build a separate entrance and new building toward the west side of Mission del Paso.
It was expected to be moved in about a year’s time, but I think the money was used instead to move the culinary arts department.”
Several construction students expressed that the move has been delayed too long.
“We always have to wear jackets inside the classroom,” said Ismael Beltran, 42. “I am concerned about the coming winter. They should have planned it a little earlier.”
Many employees look forward to the ASC, which they say will be better climate-controlled.
“Some of the walls are not insulated,” said Olaya Cezares. “It’s freezing cold.”
With none of the classroom and office walls reaching the ceiling, many faculty members have had to teach in less than favorable conditions.
“The students will be able to attend classes in enclosed classrooms,” said Sara Martinez. “At the Lomaland facility, noise spills into other classrooms thus limiting the number of classes that can be held at once.”
It has long been planned for the departments at Lomaland to be transferred to college grounds and now the plan is underway.
“Our classrooms will have the latest computers, equipment and furnishings,” said Ahner.
“Our meeting rooms will also have privacy and equipment enabling us to conduct video conferences. We are ready to move.”
The Board of Trustees recognized the Lomaland site was not an adequate teaching facility and requested the departments be relocated, said Ahner.
“They planned to move it a year ago, but funding stopped it,” said construction instructor Manny Garcia. “We need more space. More space means more classes and more students.”
Also scheduled for relocation to the ASC’s B-building is the Gear Up program at VV, the massage therapy program at RG and the culinary arts program at TM.
“When I first came here [The Center for Workforce Preparedness] I wondered how anyone would teach here,” said Ahner. “It is just not conducive to the standards of El Paso Community College.”
