Southwest Texas College adds welding, construction programs in Del Rio

Southwest Texas College is adding welding and construction science in Del Rio this fall, with classes set to begin Aug. 17 in a new workforce training facility expected to be finished by mid-July. The nearly $4 million building will be open for a July 2 open house, giving future students and families a first look before classes start.

The expansion is built around a closer partnership with San Felipe Del Rio CISD and a pathway designed to keep students moving after high school technical dual-credit classes. Armando Mondragon, dean of applied sciences, said the goal is to create a seamless route for students who start career training early, earn a Level One certificate while still in school and then continue into advanced coursework without losing time or credit.

In welding, the sequence will move from Year One and Year Two welding into Level One Advanced, with the longer-term path leading toward an associate’s degree and, for some students, a bachelor’s degree. Mondragon said the program is aimed at advanced industrial skills, including pipe welding and other specialized techniques used in the oil field and related industries, where employers need workers who can handle more technical assignments than basic entry-level shop work.

Construction Science is being pitched as a broader field than traditional carpentry. Students will study blueprint reading, electrical work, plumbing and other trades, while also building leadership skills meant to prepare them for supervisory jobs or for starting their own businesses. Mondragon said the program is about understanding the full range of construction systems, not just learning how to build a wall.

For Del Rio and the rest of Val Verde County, the college is positioning the new programs as a local workforce pipeline that starts in high school and extends into college credentials without forcing students to leave the community. By linking dual credit, a new training facility and job-focused certificates, Southwest Texas College is aiming to keep more students in the region while giving employers a better-trained pool of welders and construction workers.