The Port of Brownsville: Developing Human Capital

Rio Grande Guardian
BY PORT OF BROWNSVILLE, GUEST COLUMN
JANUARY 14, 2024

As the leading economic engine and major job creator for the Rio Grande Valley, the Port of Brownsville sees the development of a highly skilled workforce as central to the economic vitality of the region. 

Activity at the port is responsible for more than 51,000 jobs in Texas, generating over $3 billion in annual state economic activity, according to recent analysis. With over 9,000 regional workers directly employed by activities at the port, it infuses $2.6 billion annually into the Rio Grande Valley. 

The port recognizes the importance of building human capital to sustain existing industries and attract new ones, which is why it collaborates with tenants, local schools, colleges, universities, technical schools, and workforce development leaders to create opportunities for local residents. 

The Port of Brownsville Scholarship Program was established in 2020 to help deserving students pursue higher education and career dreams. Each year the port awards high school graduating seniors with a $1,000 scholarship to help them continue their education. To date, the scholarship program has awarded $126,000 benefiting 126 students attending schools within the navigation district. 

Brownsville is rapidly growing as a global shipbuilding and ship recycling center providing a solid base for well-paying industrial skilled jobs. The local workforce is technically savvy, adaptable and motivated to succeed, making them a valuable asset to the port’s three skilled stevedoring operations. These companies, Dix Shipping, Shaefer Stevedoring, and Gulf Stream Marine collaborated in the movement of 13.8 million tons of cargo last year, representing the backbone and muscle of the port that works within peccable records of safety and efficiency, resulting in staggering economic impacts.

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by the Port of Brownsville. It first appeared in the Port’s monthly newsletter, Port Matters. It appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the authors. For more information about the Port of Brownsville, contact Jorge I. Montero, the Port’s director of communications. His email address is: [email protected].