By Marcela Rodrigues
A ribbon-cutting ceremony in the former Red Bird mall celebrated the opening of a new center aimed at bolstering workforce readiness, particularly in South Dallas.
Dallas College’s 53,000-square-foot facility at The Shops at RedBird will train people in high-demand fields, such as health care assistant, forklift operator, customer care agent, accounting professional and industrial maintenance mechanic.
The center will offer courses to support students working toward a high school equivalency as well as classes focused on English as a second language, financial literacy and job readiness.
After Friday’s ceremony, guests toured the facility and watched demonstrations of technology including forklift and health training equipment. The building has a flexible laboratory space that can be adapted to meet course needs, from augmented reality to robotics and automation.
The woman who envisioned the center is Gloria Smith, Dallas College vice provost of workforce education, who was applauded for her efforts to serve non-traditional students by empowering them to pursue high-earning careers.
“Located in the heart of South Dallas, the center will allow us, and our partners, to provide educational opportunities that lead to high-demand jobs for a population that has been historically underserved,” Smith said.
A 2021 report from research consulting firm Cicero Group found that Dallas residents over 25, particularly in southern Dallas, lacked opportunities to learn new job skills and advance in careers.
Across Dallas County, about 3 in 10 adults aged 25 to 34 earn a living wage, according to Dallas Thrives, an initiative made up of various nonprofit, government entities and other partners aimed at doubling the number of young adults earning a living wage by 2040.
Dallas College Chancellor Justin Lonon celebrated the center’s opening by leading a chant.
“We are in what business?” Lonon asked.
“The barrier-busting business,” the crowd of over 100 answered.
The new training will be “breaking down one of those barriers to bring these types of programs right here into the neighborhood where people can have access to programs that are going to get them the skills that they need to get into jobs,” Lonon said.
The center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Students will have access to success coaches and support services to help with food, housing security, mental health, transportation and child care.
The college committed over $5 million to the project, which also is supported by the city of Dallas, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Vari and Google.
The former mall continues to evolve.
In October, officials from The Shops at RedBird and the nonprofit Vogel announced creation of a daycare for about 130 kids, with priority given to employees working at mall along with families supported by Vogel.
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
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