El Paso, Texas is the largest metropolitan area along the US-Mexico border. With a population of over 750,000 El Paso County is one of the poorest in the nation; ranked the fourth poorest metro region in the nation as of the 2000 Census. El Paso’s per capita income is only 63 percent of the national level. One-third of the area’s population is below the poverty line. Historically, the County ranks low with respect to educational attainment; 31 percent of individuals over 25 do not have a high school diploma and only 16 percent have obtained a college bachelor’s degree. The region has a civilian labor force of 301 thousand and has averaged 7 percent in unemployment (20,000+ individuals) over the past several years. The unemployment rate is roughly 1.5 points above those for Texas and the US.
El Paso’s unemployed, along with those who have left the labor force, face a significant gap that exists between the skills demanded by the region’s labor market relative to those possessed by these individuals. Language limitations, lack of or obsolescence of skills, and lack of job awareness are but some of the obstacles facing this portion of the labor pool. These factors severely hinder the achievement of stable employment paying a living wage. It is estimated that the number facing such barriers ranges from 30,000 to 50,000.
Project ARRIBA is an El Paso-based economic and workforce development program. As of the end of 2006, Project ARRIBA has assisted over 1000 individuals in building their stock of human capital with the intent of increasing their work-life earning capacity. The purpose of this report is to identify the extent to which this has occurred and to assess the economic impact of the Project’s activities and the program graduates on the regional economic system.*
*Schauer, Ph.D., David A. "The Economic Impact of Project ARRIBA on El Paso, Texas." IPED Technical Report #2207-02 (2007): 2
- As an economic and workforce development program, Project ARRIBA has assisted over 1,000 individuals in building their stock of human capital with the intent of increasing their work-life earning capacity.
- There are 427 Project ARRIBA graduates over mid-1999 through 2006.
- Pre-Project ARRIBA participants average age 30 and earn $7,100 per year.
- Project ARRIBA program graduates average age 34 and earn $33,100 per year.
- Project ARRIBA graduates (427) have added $185.30 million in income to El Paso’s economy on a present value basis (end of 2006).
- In 2006 Project ARRIBA's Implied Benefit/Cost ratio is 28.46, which means that for every $1.00 invested $28.46 is returned to the community.
- Each 2006 Project ARRIBA graduate increases their value of future income by $444 thousand. An improved employer-provided benefit package adds another $192 thousand.
- Project ARRIBA graduates (427) will pay an additional $87.30 million in taxes over the remainder of their work years. This amounts to $6,500 per graduate for each year of remaining work-life. 73 is the percent paid to the federal government, with the remainder split evenly between state and local government units.
*Schauer, Ph.D., David A. "The Economic Impact of Project ARRIBA on El Paso, Texas." IPED Technical Report #2207-02 (2007): 1.
Project ARRIBA works. This is how:
Recruiting the right target population is key to assisting those who truly cannot complete in-demand job training.
Matching the correct career with the best applicant/participant through a holistic approach in individual assessment, academic testing, life barriers, and employer need.
Securing support for applicants/participants from family members, friends, community leaders and business institutions prior to job training is essential.
Assessing the risk for each applicant through one-on-one interviews where motivation is seen, employability is determined, ability to learn is measured, verifying financial need is done, and assessing their staying power is proven.
Developing participants for work through weekly group meetings with assigned personnel, where good work ethic is taught, critical thinking skills are developed, and appropriate dress, resume and interviewing skills are honed.
Removing barriers to life that will stop anyone from finishing in-demand job training, not by doing for them that what they can do, but by instilling in them self sufficiency by assisting them in finding permanent solutions to issues affecting their lives.
Counseling program participants on an individual basis promotes higher academic scores and increases student retention because the student is more accountable to his community and family.
Employing elite participants at living wages, with benefits into demand occupations defines the quality for a successful job-training program.