A proposed bill from New Mexico's current legislative session designed to expand the state's workforce could also provide Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) with millions of dollars, according to a KRQE report.
House Bill 103, if approved, would provide CNM with $5 million to create and establish a venture studio to grow and expand local businesses.
“It’s a program that allows individuals to begin training or really learning all the ins and outs to take their conception and initial ideas through every step of development,” Rep. Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe), who sponsored the bill, stated.
Serrato believes the proposal will support the development of New Mexico's businesses while also assisting in the expansion of the workforce and boosting the economy, which is her main goal for this session.
“It’s really allowing them to put what they care about into work, and then hire people who are passionate about that,” she told KRQE.
Additionally, she hopes to contribute another $500,000 to CNM in order to establish an intensive boot camp for individuals who are unemployed.
“The pandemic has really shown us that our labor supply across the country is in need of updating and in need of change and that workers are ready for something new,” Serrato said.
This boot camp would be short-term and would teach participants in specialized fields such as 3D printing, tourism and trading.