The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) announced that the Be Pro Be Proud (BPBP) program, a collaboration between the New Mexico Center for Economic Opportunity (NMCEO) and NMDWS, was launched at Los Lunas High School in Los Lunas, New Mexico. This initiative is designed to link New Mexico's youth to technical careers and skilled trades, according to a press release by NMDWS.

Students can use Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) simulators to explore professions in a mobile workshop. This statewide Be Pro Be Proud (BPBP) program offers resources and individual career counseling to every student. The state has become the sixth in the nation and the first to launch BPBP as a public-private partnership, according to a press release by NMDWS.

"Entering a career in the trades is the right step for many of New Mexico’s youth right after high school. Be Pro Be Proud will shine light on the path towards a career in the skilled trades that can provide a good income and opportunities for a lifetime," said NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair according to NMDWS. "It is amazing to see how excited students are about the program. The positive results that Be Pro Be Proud will bring to New Mexico through this public-private partnership between NMDWS and NMCEO will shape New Mexico's economic success for years to come."

"Right now, there’s enormous demand for technical professionals across the country. As the skills gap grows, the number of unfilled roles is expected to reach two million by 2025," said Rob Black, President & CEO of the New Mexico Chamber (NMCC), according to a press release by NMDWS. "We see two million opportunities across the country to connect today’s young people with rewarding skilled technical careers, and we are proud to offer access to that opportunity to New Mexico’s students through the Be Pro Be Proud program."