ACC Seeks Presence on the West Side with Lease Agreement
For many years the Alvin Community College Board of Regents has sought a facility on the west side of the college district to better serve the entirety of ACC taxpayers.
The board unanimously approved a five-year lease agreement for 14,500 square feet in a facility named The Mansion located off Magnolia Parkway in Manvel. The new location will house ACC’s Corporate College initiative to offer training and certificate programs tailored specifically for local employers.
The $750,000 start-up costs will include the first nine months of the lease, equipment, facility updates and more. The new facility is due to launch in Spring 2024.
“This location is about meeting the needs of employers and the workforce in that part of our service area,” ACC President Dr. Robert J. Exley said. “We currently provide exceptional support for the local high schools in that area via dual enrollment. And, want to provide equally high-quality services and education for our businesses and citizens who live in this specific area.”
The need for the facility has been driven by the immense population growth in that part of the ACC district. Over the next 10 years, the communities of Manvel, Pearland and Rosharon are projected to grow by 13 percent, 11 percent and 15 percent respectively.
“I speak for the board when I say that we have long wanted to have a presence in areas that would give easier access for students and business partners outside of the immediate Alvin area,” said Board Chair ‘Bel Sanchez. “We look forward to the new opportunities for our students, their families, and our business partners in this new location.”
With the growth in residents will come the demand for skilled employees. The needs for healthcare practitioners and technicians in the Pearland region are expected to grow by 22 percent in the next decade, according to labor analytics firm Lightcast Data. In Brazoria County, business management positions are projected to grow by 14 percent while computer occupations will grow by 19 percent in that same time frame, according to Lightcast.
In the new facility, the college plans to offer a diverse array of skills for workers in patient care, marketing, biotechnology, project management, business analytics, web design and more. Some of the occupational skills offered at the new location may also include: computer-aided drafting and design, emergency medical technician, certified nursing assistant to vocational nursing and more.
The college will host a collaboration space for local employers, an Allied Health multiuse educational spaces, a Biotechnology facility, classrooms, staff offices and an arena for virtual/augmented reality training. Admissions services will also be offered at the location.
In addition to the corporate college initiative, the college is developing an entrepreneurial program that will feature business courses, collaboration opportunities and mentorship.
Programs offered at the new location through the facility will earn revenue through the Continuing Education Workforce Development Department with the goal of becoming self-sustaining.
The college currently has partnerships with the Pearland Economic Development Center, Memorial Hermann Hospital, Lonza Group, Millar Inc., Kelsey Seybold and more.
“This space provides us with many exciting opportunities to serve the west side of our taxing district,” President Exley said. “This facility is the first step in realizing that vision.”
For more information or to learn about partnership opportunities please contact Dr. Stacy Ebert, vice president of Workforce and Strategic Initiatives/interim vice president of Instruction at sebert@alvincollege.edu or call 281-756-3601.