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DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT[Earth Day HTX: Resiliency By Design]
OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I AM HERE TODAY WITH A VERY SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A VERY SPECIAL PERSON.IT'S NO SECRET HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WE'VE SHOWN GREAT RESILIENCE, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
UNDER MAYOR TURNER'S ADMINISTRATION, HOUSTON HAS WEATHERED SIGNIFICANT NATURAL DISASTERS, INCLUDING THE 2016 TAX FLOODS AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO DATE HURRICANE HARVEY IN 2017.
TO ENSURE HOUSTON'S CONTINUED RESILIENCE AND TO IMPROVE OUR CITY'S RESILIENCE FOR THE FUTURE, MAYOR TURNER MADE A CALL TO ACTION TO TRAIN 500,000 HOUSTONIANS IN RESILIENCE AS A PART OF THE OVERALL RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN.
LAST AUGUST, HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM ANSWERED THAT CALL THROUGH A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY TO TRAIN CITY EMPLOYEES IN RESILIENCY AND PREPAREDNESS AT HCC CAMPUSES, THE SCHOOL WILL OFFER PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING IN AREAS THAT INCLUDE NURSING, RESPIRATORY CARE, AND FIREFIGHTER TRAINING.
NOW, ENTERING THE CHAT IS TODAY'S SPEAKER, WHO IS A KEY PLAYER IN THIS INITIATIVE AND SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTHEAST COLLEGE OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
DR. MICHAEL EDWARDS IS A PROVEN LEADER WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
ADDITIONALLY, HE POSSESSES AS HCC CHANCELLOR CESAR MALDONADO DESCRIBES A DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
AS HCC ADVANCES ITS MISSION THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, DR. EDWARDS HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LEGAL STUDIES FROM RICE UNIVERSITY AND A DOCTORATE IN JURISPRUDENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
IN THIS SIGNIFICANT ROLE AS PRESIDENT, HE HAS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP THAT DRIVES STUDENT SUCCESS AND PROMOTES THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL PATHWAYS, PARTLY MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NORTH NORTHEAST COLLEGE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.
DR. EDWARDS HAS MAINTAINED STRONG STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL FOCUS, WHILE NOTABLY ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AND SEVERAL MAJOR INITIATIVES HIGHLIGHTED BY WORK ADVANCING THE NEW RESILIENCY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE AND THE RESILIENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
HE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP THROUGH MULTI-DIVISIONAL TEAM EFFORTS AND IS REIMAGINING THE AKER HOMES CAMPUS TO BRING COMPREHENSIVE IMPROVEMENT TO THE NORTH FOREST CAMPUS AND THE OVERALL STUDENT EXPERIENCE.
BY NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT IMPRESSED, KEEP LISTENING.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY ESTEEMED PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, DR. MICHAEL EDWARDS FOR AN UPDATE ON RESILIENCY.
I ALMOST WANT TO GO BACK OUTSIDE AND COME BACK IN AND
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
PRIYA ZACHARIA, CITY OF HOUSTON.
IS THERE ANY HCC EAGLES ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN HERE, ANY OF THEM? OH, THERE'S A FEW.
PLEASE STAND SO YOU COULD BE RECOGNIZED SO WE CAN SAY HELLO, PLEASE.
ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE IN HERE WOULD LIKE TO BE AN EAGLE
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF NORTHEAST COLLEGE, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM HAS 22 ACADEMIC USE PROPERTIES ACROSS GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
22 ACROSS OVER 600 SQUARE ACRES OF ACADEMIC USE.
14 CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE, WHICH ARE PRIMARY WORKFORCE CLOSE TO LOCATIONS.
AND WE DO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY EVERY OTHER YEAR.
IT'S BASICALLY EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND WE HAVE RETURNED AN IMPACT TO THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, OUR REGION OF OVER $3.1 BILLION.
WITH A B, WE KNOW WE AFFECT LIVES, BUT YOU
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KNOW WHAT? WE HAVE TO DO MORE AND WE'RE GONNA DO MORE.I'M DELIGHTED TO SHARE THIS PROJECT WITH YOU AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT GOT A FIRST IMPRESSION OF IT, WELL, LET'S JUST SEE HOW GOOD SOPHISTICATED WE ARE.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA DO BETTER.
SOMEONE SAID, SOMEONE FAMOUS, SAID IT ALSO TAKES A TEAM.
SO EVEN THOUGH MY OTHER COLLEAGUES AREN'T HERE, I'M SORT OF THE, THE LONG RANGER TODAY, UH, IT TAKES A TEAM OF FOLKS, VISIONARY, LEADERSHIP OF A CHANCELLOR, VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, A WORKFORCE, UH, EDUCATION VICE CHANCELLOR AND ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR, AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE SIX REGIONAL PRESIDENTS AND WE COLLABORATE ON THIS.
MY QUICK AGENDA AND I WILL BE HOSTING MY CONVERSATION WITH YOU FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES AND I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT ENTERTAINING AT CERTAIN SPOTS.
BELIEVE ME, I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT AS ENTERTAINING AS I CAN.
I KNOW MY BALD HEAD IS A LITTLE SHINY, SO TRY NOT TO LET THAT DEFLECT YOU TOO MUCH.
IF YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH HERBERT KANE, HARVEY, YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH ANY DISASTER IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, THERE'S A HELPLESSNESS THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED.
A REALLY FABULOUS GOAL AND VISION IS TO SEE HOUSTONIANS TRAINED IN SOME LEVEL OF PREPARATION FOR BOTH NATURAL AND OUR MANMADE DISASTERS.
TRAINING IN SOME LEVEL OF APPROPRIATE PREPAREDNESS, WHAT WE CALL IT PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION, WHAT WE CALL IT RECOVERY.
WHETHER IT'S ADAPTING, WHETHER IT'S MANAGING A DISASTER OR SIMPLY PUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S THE VISION BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE NEED A STRONGER INDIVIDUAL, STRONGER COMMUNITY, STRONGER COUNTY, AND A STRONGER CITY.
THAT'S WHAT HOUSTON'S ALL ABOUT.
OUR PATHWAY IS TRAINING AND RESILIENCY CONTINUUM.
THIS MEANS, UH, CORPORATE TRAINING.
THIS MEANS INDIVIDUAL TRAINING.
THIS MEANS COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING.
IT ALSO MEANS ORGANIZED TRAINING AND CONTINUAL EDUCATION, OR EVEN SEMESTER CREDIT HOUR LEADING TO A DEGREE OR WHAT WE CALL CREDENTIALS OF A VALUE.
WE'VE ENGAGED FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS IN DEVELOPING A VISION THAT HAPPENS TO COINCIDE WITH OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN A GRAND SCALE.
BUT THAT VISION INCLUDES DEVELOPING A SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM THAT'S RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIVE, RELEVANT, THAT WE GET IT, IT MAKES SENSE, AND IT PROVIDES THAT LEVEL OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO COMMUNITIES THAT MAY BE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
THAT WILL INCLUDE THINGS LIKE BUSINESS CONTINUITY THAT WILL INCLUDE, AGAIN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFESAVING TECHNIQUES AND INCLUDES DISASTER, LITURGY, LITERACY.
WHERE DO WE GO? WHO DO WE CALL? WHAT ORGANIZATIONS OR VOADS? WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT USUALLY SHOW UP WHEN SOMETHING'S AMISS? HOW DO WE CONNECT? HOW DO WE COORDINATE? HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE? HOW DO WE ALIGN? SO IN OUR ZEAL TO DEVELOP THE GUIDELINES FOR THESE COURSES, THE TYPES OF EXPERTISE WHICH OUGHT TO DELIVER THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THESE COURSES, PRIMARILY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE.
WE'VE DEVELOPED MULTIDISCIPLINARY
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CURRICULUM BECAUSE YOU SEE, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT A SITUATION AND YOU WANT TO PREPARE GREATER HOUSTONIANS AND COMMUNITIES AT HEART TO MAKE THEM MORE RESILIENT, TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE, TO HAVE HOPE, WE COME FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.SO OUR CURRICULUM IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY MULTI SECTIONAL EFFORT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A MIXED BAG OF ITEMS, WHICH MAKES COMMON SENSE.
SEE, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA LEAVE OUR COMMON SENSE IN THE PARKING LOT FOLKS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO MEMORIALIZE IT IN A STATE OF THE ART STATE OF INDUSTRY CURRICULA.
THIS IS A SAMPLE OF THE CURRICULA.
THIS IS A FIRST OR INAUGURAL COHORT OF THE SIX BASIC COURSES.
WE'RE GONNA RELEASE THEM TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THIS SUMMER.
IN FACT, THEY'RE ALREADY ONLINE, BUT WE'RE GONNA BRING IT TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION THIS SUMMER.
AND WE COULDN'T GET THE YES MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
WE COULDN'T GET THERE FAST ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, MY, MY SHORT LEGS CAN ONLY RUN JUST SO FAR.
BUT BOY, WE PUT TOGETHER A SERIOUS TEAM.
SOMETHING YOU'RE GONNA BE PROUD OF.
SO ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF DELIVERY, LET ME TAKE YOU TO, AND I'M AN OLD WORKFORCE DEAN, IF YOU SCRATCH ME WITH A NICKEL FOR YOU,
THE QUICKEST WAY WE WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND BEGIN TO LEARN THE, THE BREADTH OF CURRICULUM AND WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING WE NEED, WAS TO IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE OUR CORPORATE TRAINING DIVISION, CORPORATE TRAINERS.
UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY UPSKILLING, RESKILLING SOLUTIONS.
USUALLY LESS THAN 20 HOUR FOOTPRINT.
MOST OF OUR AUDIENCES IN THAT SPACE, UH, ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A CERTIFICATE OR A PIECE OF PAPER AS SUCH.
THEY JUST WANT TO, UH, HONE THEIR SKILLS TO DEVELOP MORE TASKS, UH, SECURE MORE TASKS.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE RELEASED OUR DIVISION TO GO OUT AND START WORKING.
THEY IMMEDIATELY SECURED 160 COMMITMENTS FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
NOTABLY EVERYBODY FROM CENTERPOINT, A APPLE, UH, LOCALIZED BUSINESSES, A LOT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OUR FRIENDS, UH, OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE GREATER HOUSTON.
UH, MANY OF THEM DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS, THE GREAT HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, HGC, HOUSTON, GARY, UH, GALVESTON, AREA COUNTY.
I KEEP OPTING INTO IT 'CAUSE I LIKE TO MOVE AROUND.
UM, SO WE BEGIN TO LEARN SOME THINGS FROM THOSE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS.
UH, TAILOR OUR CUSTOMIZED DELIVERY.
SO IN EFFECT, AFTER LEARNING SOME COMPETENCIES AND CROSS INDUSTRY, UH, CHARACTERISTICS, WE ABLE TO COMPILE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTINUING EDUCATION PIECE.
NOW YOU'VE STEPPED INTO FOLKS THAT WANT EITHER CERTIFICATE, OKAY? OR SOMETHING THEY COULD BUILD UPON TO FURTHER THEIR CAREER.
ONCE YOU'VE GOT THOSE, WE'VE MOVED ON AS WELL TO PERHAPS CAREER LADDERS OR PATHWAYS WHERE YOU BEGIN TO ASSOCIATE A NUMBER OF HOURS AND TRAINING TO WHERE YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE ENTERTAINMENT OF A DEGREE OR ANOTHER PROMOTIONAL SPACE.
SO THIS, THIS MY FRIENDS IS THE BEGINNING.
OKAY? SO MY FIRST COMMENTS WERE ON THE BUSINESS OUTREACH BECAUSE PART OF THE RECOVERY FOR HOUSTON IS BUSINESS CONTINUITY, RIGHT? HOW FAST CAN WE RECOVER FROM, UH, LOGISTICALLY DISPLACED EMPLOYEES, UH, LOGISTIC LEAD, DISPLACE, PAYROLL, OTHER ISSUES, RIGHT? RIGHT.
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FUNDRAISING.IT TURNS OUT THIS PROJECT HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'VE RAISED 2.3 MILLION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONTINUE OUR WORK DESIGNING, UH, SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM.
WE ALSO RECEIVED UPWARDS TOWARDS 5 MILLION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS AND A LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION.
SO FROM ONE HAND, THE FEDERAL FOLKS HAVE INDICATED A UNIQUE INTEREST IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, EVEN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS AND A BIPARTISAN EFFORT, LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION, $5 MILLION TO BUILD WHAT IS OUR EPICENTER OF THIS EFFORT, WHICH IS A FACILITY TO TRAIN MORE, MORE FIRST RESPONDERS.
THAT INCLUDES ME, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, THAT INCLUDES FIREFIGHTERS, THAT INCLUDES POLICE OFFICERS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT AT HCC FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GREATER CAPACITY BECAUSE YOU SEE, WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE RECEIVED WHAT I THINK A FIRST OF ITS KIND MOU WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, PRIYA IN YOUR UNIT TO TRAIN 500,000 HOUSTONIANS.
ALRIGHT? THEN IN SOME LEVEL, APPROPRIATE PREPAREDNESS.
ALRIGHT, SO JP MORGAN CHASE, AND I'M JUST BUILDING UP TO SOMETHING.
I'M GOING SOMEWHERE WITH THIS, HOLD ON A SECOND.
$3.3 MILLION COMMITMENT FOR WHAT? WELL, WE NEED A COLLABORATIVE.
WE NEED ANOTHER TOOL THAT'S A GROUP OF FOLKS, USUAL SUSPECTS IN TERMS OF VOADS AND PEOPLE WHO ALIGN WHEN THERE'S ANY TYPE OF DISASTER, LET'S BRING THEM BACK.
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A DISASTER TO MOBILIZE? DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A DISASTER TO COORDINATE, COMMUNICATE, ALIGN? WE CAN DO BETTER.
SO THEY BELIEVE IN THIS ENOUGH TO SUPPORT IT WITH A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, WHETHER IT'S A POLICY INFLUENCER, WHETHER IT'S EXECUTION OF, UH, CERTAIN TASKS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE RESILIENCY HUB METHODOLOGY.
SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIVE.
IT'S GOT A BLUE RIBBON GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT AGAIN, MAKE YOU PROUD.
AND I WOULD BE SOMEWHERE REMISS IF I DIDN'T GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE ARM SHEILA JACKSON LEE FOR HER EFFORTS FOR HELPING US GET THE $2 MILLION FROM DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UH, YOU KNOW WHAT? CAN WE GET A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE JUST TO RECOGNIZE THE, BECAUSE SHE MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE SHE'S WATCHING
THAT ANOTHER BEAT OF SWEAT ON THIS BALD HEAD.
UM, AGAIN, HERE'S SOME OF OUR FRIENDS THAT, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED COLLABORATIVE, UH, JUST GREAT PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING WE WANT, BUT WE ALSO NEED THE RIGHT STUFF.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE GETTING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
THE RIGHT THING, THE RIGHT STUFF, AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT MOST THAT NEED, BUT ALSO MOST AT RISK.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INTERSECTION OF THAT.
OTHERWISE, I'M NOT SURE HOW EFFECTIVE WE CAN GET GREEN ENERGY JOBS.
I WAS EXPLAINING TO PRIYA EARLIER THAT WE'RE SORT OF A MIXED BAG AT HCC BECAUSE OF OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION AND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO YES, WE DO TRAIN PETROCHEMICAL TECHS.
YES, WE DO TRAIN PROSPECT TECHNOLOGY.
YES, WE DO TRAIN ENGINEERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE GREEN JOBS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD.
AND IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE TRULY, IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE THINGS BETTER, IMPROVE OUR RESILIENCY, IMPROVE OUR RECOVERY TIME ACROSS THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA,
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THEN WE NEED TO DIG DEEP.THE COMPETENCIES NEED TO BE ALMOST PORTABLE.
THAT MEANS YOU CAN TAKE 'EM AND PLUG THEM IN ANYWHERE.
I WOULDN'T SAY PLUG AND PLAY, BUT CLOSE LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, RIGHT? SOME OF THE JOBS, THE PROGRAMS WE DO TRAIN, UH, HIGHLIGHTING JUST A FEW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE OVER AN INVENTORY OF 380 PLUS PROGRAMS, DEGREES, CERTIFICATES THAT WE LIKE TO THINK ARE RELEVANT.
NOW, WE CAN'T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY, BUT THIS IS SOME GOOD STUFF RIGHT HERE.
SOLAR PANEL INSTALLER, THAT'S GONNA BE RELEVANT ON THE FIFTH WARD OR SUNNYSIDE PROJECT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I, WHERE I, I HANG MY HAT OUT IN THE NORTHEAST.
ENERGY AUDITOR, ENERGY EFFICIENCY SPECIALISTS, EV TECHNICIANS.
WE HAVE A FABULOUS AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING TECHNOLOGY CENTER RIGHT THERE ON 45 IN THE NORTHEAST SECTOR.
TRULY A SE CERTIFIED AND ACCREDITED AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE.
INDEED BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS. BAS TECHNICIANS AND MORE.
BY THE WAY, WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL BOOTHS ON WEDNESDAY OUT THERE.
SO IF YOU GOT MORE QUESTIONS YOU ASK, YOU CAN ASK THE REAL EXPERTS MORE ABOUT GREEN ENERGY.
WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING CERTIFICATES IN THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO WE ARE TRYING TO WALK THE WALK.
SO ON OUR MASTER PLAN AND UNDER THE AUSPICES OF OUR TENURE STRATEGIC PLAN TITLE, EMBRACING HOUSTON'S FUTURE, CHECK IT OUT.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, IT'S A VERY UNIQUE STRATEGIC PLAN.
'CAUSE IT'S FOR 10 YEARS WITH THREE SPRINT, THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLANS THAT ARE BASICALLY ALL ABOUT ACTION AND LOOKING AT THE METRICS AND BRINGING THAT PART BACK.
BUT IT'S A CULTURAL SHIFT TO DO THIS, TO EXHIBIT THE THINGS THAT ARE RELEVANT IN THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY, SUCH AS CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PRACTICE, ENERGY EFFICIENT METHODOLOGIES.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 22 ACADEMIC USE FACILITIES, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT RIGHT.
MAKE SENSE MORE ABOUT OUR NET ZERO.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA BE A LEADER, WE TRY TO PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH.
UH, HOW AM I ON TIME? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I CAN SPEAK TO Y'ALL ALL DAY, OKAY? UM, I'M NOT GONNA PREACH TO YOU HERE.
UM, AND I WON'T RESTATE THAT, BUT WE'RE COMMITTED.
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS COMMITTED TO YOU.
AND IF WE DON'T PRACTICE EQUITABLE DELIVERY, EQUITABLE RESPONSE, THEN UH, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE DOING WELL, BUT OUR COVENANT WITH THE COMMUNITY, OKAY? THE RESILIENCY OPERATION CENTER, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ROCK, NO, NOT THE GUY THAT YOU'VE SEEN WRESTLING, BUT, UH, OUR, OUR FACILITY, UH, WE'VE BEEN SOCIALIZING THIS QUITE A BIT LATELY.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONS, COURT, UH, NATIONAL AND, AND LOCAL LEVEL.
UH, IT WILL BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN OUR COUNTRY.
NOW, THE RENDERINGS ARE INCREDIBLE.
BUT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO IMAGINE WHITNEY, ME, JUST, JUST IMAGINE, JUST COME ALONG, COME ALONG, 65,000 SQUARE FEET OF FLOOD SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY
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WHERE FOLKS CAN ACTUALLY TRY THE RESCUE OPERATIONS THAT THEY WOULD ON YOU AND I, BUT THEY AIN'T PRACTICE.YOU SEE? SO THEY GET IT, RIGHT? AND GUESS WHAT? MAGICALLY THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION AND APPETITE FOR DETAIL THAT COMES ACROSS IN ANY SIMULATED EVENT, WE CAN HARNESS THAT.
INDEED CAPTURE IT OR VIDEOTAPE IT AND YOU CAN PLAY IT BACK.
SO WE HAVE REDUNDANCY WHERE WE CAN KEEP PUTTING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGH THIS TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE THAT SUCCEEDS FOR ALL OF US.
AND WE'RE TALKING TEXAS RIGHT HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO NEW BRAUNFELS.
THEY CAN STAY IN HOUSTON OR THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO, WELL, NEW YORK WON'T TAKE US BECAUSE THEIR FACILITY, WHICH BY THE WAY IS THE ONLY OTHER FACILITY EVEN IN THIS SPACE, RIGHT? RIGHT OUTSIDE OF SYRACUSE.
BUT GUESS WHAT, THEY ONLY TRAIN NEW YORKERS.
URBAN FLOOD VILLAGE, SWIMMING LAGOON, SOME LILY PADS FOR MEDICAL TRIAGE.
SEE, NOW I'M GONNA SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS NAMED HARVEY.
OKAY? AND I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, THAT'S, UH, I LOST EVERYTHING IN HARVEY EXCEPT THE SHIRT ON MY BACK.
SOME RAIN BOOTS, LITTLE JOGGING SHORTS THAT I HAD ON WHILE I WAS WATCHING.
FAVORITE RERUNS, A GAME OF THE THRONES, MUNCHING ON MY FAVORITE TREATS SHELTER AFTER SHELTER.
WE WENT THROUGH, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WASN'T EQUITY IN RESPONSE, ALTHOUGH, YEAH, THAT USED TO.
PEOPLE CAME TO TOGETHER AND DID WHAT THEY COULD AS I WAS SWIMMING PAST AN ANT RAFT.
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT AN ANT RAFT IS? WELL, YOU KNOW, ANTS ARE PRETTY INTERESTING AS A COMMUNITY.
THEY, THEY BUILD THESE LITTLE RAFTS OUT OF OTHER DEAD ASSOCIATES AND THEY SWIM ON TOP OF THAT.
WELL, I HAPPEN TO SWIM THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND SOME OF THIS BALD HEAD.
AND EVENTUALLY WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO CATCH A C ONE 30 TO GO TO DALLAS WHEN WE FOUND OUT HARVEY MIGHT BE COMING BACK AROUND THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE, WE LEARNED SEVERAL THINGS.
WE NEED MOBILIZATION, COMMUNICATION AND WE ALSO NEED KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE.
AND WE'VE LEARNED THAT RESILIENCE CAN BE TAUGHT AND LEARNED.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL 400,000, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS THAT HELPS REACTION TIME AND CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SORT OF A NO-BRAINER, BUT WE GOTTA HELP THESE GUYS.
IN FACT, ONE AGENCY THAT WE'RE AFFILIATED WITH THAT WE HELPED TRAIN THEIR OFFICERS, INDICATED THAT ONE OF THE MOST MUNDANE REASONS FOR THIS, WHAT NECESSITATES THIS AND DRIVES SOME OF OUR FOLKS DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWIM.
I'M TALKING ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWIM.
I COULD PREACH ALL DAY ABOUT FUNDAMENTALS, LET ALONE ARREST, SEARCH AND SEIZURE.
ALRIGHT, THIS, I JUST PUT IN THIS REPORT JUST TO SAY WE'VE BEEN VERY THRIFTY WITH THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT BUILDING A THEME PARK.
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IN FACT, THAT AREA IS SO SERIOUS, MAN.I TELL YOU, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT IT.
I, I DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THIS.
PRIYA IN STATE, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH ALL OF THIS? I'VE SHARED JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GREEN JOBS, ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT HCC ENDEAVORS TO DO.
SOME OF OUR PLANS, THE END STATE OR THE STATIC STATE WILL BE, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED RESILIENT FACILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU CALL IT INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE, PERHAPS MAYBE BETTER MANAGEMENT OF MATERIALS, MATERIAL SCIENCE, USE OF CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, WELL THOUGHT OUT AND ALL IS ITS LEAD OR GREEN, UH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
ALL OF ANYBODY WENT THROUGH, UH, WINTER STORM.
YURI, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE GENERATOR I HAD IN THE BACKYARD AND STILL HAD A LITTLE FUEL LEFT IN IT, WE WOULD'VE BEEN WITHOUT POWER FOR QUITE A WHILE ABOUT RESILIENCE STRUCTURE.
THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURES TODAY.
IT COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, AND I HATE TO BE CLICHE, BUT SERIOUSLY, BETWEEN DUCT TAPE AND PLYWOOD.
WHAT'S A BETTER USE OF EACH? OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD BE USING? MORE QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER RESILIENT OPERATIONS.
DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THROUGH A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE? HOW QUICKLY CAN WE RECOVER? AND RESILIENT COMMUNICATIONS.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH EMPLOYEES, FRIENDS, COMMUNITY, RELATIVES? THESE AREN'T ROCKET SCIENCE QUESTIONS FOLKS.
ANYBODY HOLD UP YOUR HANDS AND SAY, WE CAN'T DO THIS? I DON'T SEE ANY TAKERS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I USED TO TEACH MY CLASSES, I WOULD ASK THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE THAT WANTS A C TODAY? I'LL GIVE YOU A C RIGHT NOW.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRAINED IN A SEA? PUT THEIR HANDS ON YOU.
POINT BEING, WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO THE JOB.
WELL, MAN, THIS ISN'T, THESE AREN'T MEDIOCRE IDEAS.
PLEASE SOAK 'EM UP LIKE A SPONGE.
YOUR FILES SUGGEST THAT YOU HAVE SOME HISTORY IN SCIENCE AND JEWISH EXPERIENCE.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES HC OFFER TO THOSE? LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND REVOLUTION IS NEEDING TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE LEARNINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
BEST PRACTICES, POLICIES, BEST PRACTICES, PROBATION, SO THAT NOT DESIGNING THE SAME THING FIVE TIMES, BUT THE BEST PRACTICES.
HOW CAN BRING THAT TO BEAR? AH HMM.
WELL, WELL, WELL AT FIRST BLUSH I WOULD SAY WE DO HAVE SOME FORWARD THINKING IN OUR COM IN OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, UH, DISCIPLINE IN OUR GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.
BUT LET ME GO ONE STEP FURTHER THAN THAT.
WE HAVE JUST BEEN APPROVED BY OUR CREDITING AGENCY TO OFFER AI, UH, A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE, BACHELOR'S APPLIED TECHNOLOGY IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING NOW, NOT ONLY AT A GLOBAL SCALE, BUT ALSO FUTURISM, FUTURISTIC, AND WHAT'S THE IMPLICATION NOT ONLY AS TO THE APPLICATIONS, BUT ALSO MORALITY OR MORAL ISSUES IN THAT SPACE? UM, THAT'S TAKEN US IN A MORE CIRCUITOUS ROUTE IN TERMS OF OUR DISCUSSION.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME VERY GOOD GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTORS, UM, POLITICAL SCIENCES, UH, DEVOUTLY ASSOCIATED IN OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPACE WITH
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OUR GOVERNMENT DISCIPLINE.AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO VISIT WITH YOU AND STEER YOU TO WHO THOSE DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE ARE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE VERY BRIGHT AND, UH, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THAT KIND OF FACULTY.
UH, AND GOING BACK TO AI, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A PRECURSOR TO EVEN QUALIFY AS AN UPGRADED LEVEL INSTITUTION IN TERMS OF AWARDS WE CONFER.
'CAUSE WE HAD TO HAVE THE FACULTY TALENT IN ORDER TO GET THAT AWARD.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO WE'VE GOT QUALIFIED PHDS.
YES, WE STILL HAVE EDDS AND EVEN JDS, BUT, UH, APPARENTLY WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO LEAD US IN THAT DIRECTION AND WE CAN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
IT IT HARKEN ME BACK TO MY DAYS AT RICE, UH, WHERE I PROBABLY STARTED DOING THIS, RIGHT? LOSING MY HAIR.
UM, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH A FEW OF THOSE, UH, CURRICULUM, JOB, UH, OR JOB TRAININGS THAT YOU HAD, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE, UH, THE BUILDING SCIENCE.
AND SO THE ENERGY RATERS AND ALL THAT IS FANTASTIC.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT BUBBLES UP IS, UM, ARE ARE YOU GONNA BE INFORMING THE REST OF THE STUDENT BODY ABOUT THESE POSITIONS AND WHY, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU'RE GONNA, AND AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, DATA ON HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE TAKING THESE SORT OF COURSE OFFERINGS? BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE TO GET THESE BUILDINGS OPERATING WONDERFULLY, EXCEPT WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE IN SCHOOL THERE THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE BUILDINGS NEED TO BE OPERATING IN ONE OR OH, EXCELLENT.
UM, CONSTRUCTION TRADES IS ONE OF OUR 14 CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.
THOSE PROGRAMS THAT I JUST REFERRED TO IT ARE VARY IN NEOPHYTE STAGE.
ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN TEACHING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES FOR YEARS.
IT'S, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
SO THE DATA IS PROBABLY SO FRESH.
UM, IT DOESN'T TELEGRAPH AT ALL AT THIS POINT WHAT THE CAPACITY OF THAT PROGRAM IS, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE ARE GONNA DO AND HOUSTON GET READY FOR IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE COMING OUT WITH A SERIOUS MARKETING AND ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THAT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S GREATER HOUSTON REGION.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN FRAME YOUR FUTURE.
OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD FRAME YOUR FUTURE, UH, OWN YOUR TOMORROW WE MAKE HOUSTON WORK JUST TO NAME A THREE.
BUT I THINK THIS ONE IS GONNA BE A COMPOSITE OF ALL THREE ASPECTS AND HOPEFULLY THE IDENTIFICATION, UH, WITH, UH, FOLKS THAT GET OUR, UH, MISSION AS WELL AS OUR VISION.
DR. EDWARDS, YOU TOLD ME ABOUT CAREER SERVICES AND HOW THEY DO THAT WORK.
KIND OF HELP CONNECT TO THOSE TYPES OF, WELL, I ACKNOWLEDGE MS. CHARADE CAMPBELL, WHO'S PART OF THE, OF OUR FINANCIAL AID ENTERPRISE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU CHARADE AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL FEATURES PROMINENT AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE THE TOP 10 IN THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THOSE IS WE HAVE SHARED SERVICES DEPARTMENTS THAT ASSIST US NOT ONLY IN JUST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, UH, STUDENT SUCCESS.
AND IN ADDITION TO STUDENT SUCCESS, ALSO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
AND ONE OF THOSE, WE DO HAVE A CAREER CENTER THAT, UH, UH, ENGAGES WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, UH, HELPS LOCATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS JOB PLACEMENT.
SO WE'RE, WE TRY TO BE AS FORWARD THINKING AS WE CAN, AND THAT'S ANOTHER FEATURE OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH SHOULD PROPEL US OR POSITION US, UH, TO BE IN A BETTER, UH, LOCATION TO CONTINUE TO HELP HOUSTON GROWTH AND PROSPER.
CHARLIE REMINDED ME THAT WE DO HAVE A CAREER PLACEMENT, UH, CENTER AND THEY ALSO FOLLOW UP.
NO, THEY ALSO FOLLOW UP TOO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IN SURVEYS, WHETHER IT'S EXIT SURVEYS WITH EMPLOYERS, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW IF OUR GRADUATES, MELISSA, IF OUR GRADUATES, SHE'S ANOTHER EAGLE.
IF OUR GRADUATES ARE ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATING THE COMPETENCIES TO WHICH WE SOUGHT TO TRAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE, TO
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MEET THEIR DEMANDS AND ALIGN THOSE DEMANDS WITH INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE FULFILLING OUR COVENANT WITH THE COMMUNITY.BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT WE DO IS JUST THROWING SPLATTERING PAINT AGAINST THE WALL.
PRESENTATION IS, UH, IT WAS JUST AWESOME.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF, UH, YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING THE AFTERMATH, THE AFTER STORM IN TERMS OF UH, MAYBE CONVERTING THE TRAINING CENTER INTO A SHELTER.
UH,
UH, SO THE AFTERMATH IN TERMS OF THE AFTER STORM AND HOW THE TRAINING CENTERS, UH, CAN BE USED.
WELL, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR PLAYBOOK.
THERE ARE PRE
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE EMPHASIZED A LITTLE MORE, BEAR WITH ME, I'M, I'M ALMOST THERE, IS OUR END GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH RESILIENCE HUBS ACROSS THE CENTER IN EVERY SECTOR.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY MEAN AN HCC CAMPUS, ALTHOUGH WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THEM.
BUT WHAT IT DOES DO IS SAY WE NEED TO COORDINATE THIS.
YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE GO? WHERE WOULD THE GENERAL COMMUNITY MEMBER GO TO GET INFORMATION? WHERE DO THEY GO TO TO ACCESS SOME OF THE SUPPORT FEATURES? SO THAT'S THE PART, THAT'S THE PIECE.
NOW NOT EVERYONE NEEDS PHYSICALITY.
IN FACT, WE'RE ALREADY EXPERIMENTING WITH VIRTUAL REALITY MECHANISMS TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO RIGHT.
BUT A GOOD PLACE TO START IS TO MAKE SURE FOR OTHER GENERATIONS, 'CAUSE WE TEACH ACROSS AT LEAST FIVE GENERATIONS, SOME PEOPLE, DIGITAL IS NOT ALL IT IS FOR THEM.
THEY GOTTA BE ABLE TO REACH OUT, SEE IT AND TOUCH IT.
AND IF WE'RE TRULY LOOKING AT A HOLISTIC APPROACH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHY IN I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH PRIYA AND HER UNIT AND RESILIENCE, SUSTAIN SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE WE'RE ONTO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
WE WE'RE DOING A MASTER PLAN FOR RESILIENCE HUB, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT DR.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CITY FACILITIES OR COUNTY, BUT TRUSTED NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES THAT ACTIVATED NOT JUST DURING EMERGENCIES, ALSO ON COUNTRIES.
THESE ARE THE COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS JUST SELF ADVERTISING.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON.
THAT, THAT, THAT CITY AND, AND STATE EDUCATION.
WELL, I HOPE TO BE BACK AT SOME, UH, NOT TOO DISTANT TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DENT IN THE 500,000.
SO IF YOU SEE US ASK MORE QUESTIONS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A COURSE, I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU
SO GOAL ON YOUR RESILIENCE HUBS HERE, FOR YOUR GOAL FOR THE FUTURE.
HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THESE BEING CONNECTED WITH ONE ANOTHER TO COORDINATE ACTION IN THE COMMUNITY? WELL, THE FIRST START WAS WHAT WE DID WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH IS TO ALIGN OUR RELATIVE ACTION PLANS, RIGHT? TO DO, I CAN'T CALL IT A NEEDS ANALYSIS.
IT'S A CROSSWALK, RIGHT? WE PERFORMED THAT EXERCISE, WHAT ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, WHERE THANKS TO, UH, DOCTORS KARIAH, WE WERE ALLOWED TO EXPLORE ALL THE CURRENT PLANS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION AND OUR TRAINING.
AND SO WE TOOK OUR ENTIRE INVENTORY OF THE 380 PLUS AWARDS, DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER AND ASSOCIATED THOSE WITH THOSE ACTION PLANS.
THAT CROSSWALK IS BEAUTIFUL,
BUT THE IDEA WAS TO LINE OUR MUTUAL INTERESTS, RIGHT? AND THEN SEE WHERE OUR ASSETS ARE, AND THEN DETERMINE WHAT'S ALREADY IN FLIGHT, WHAT
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OUGHT TO BE IN FLIGHT, UH, UH, OR HOW DO WE BUILD CAPACITY IF THERE'S NOTHING IN FLIGHT IN THAT PARTICULAR PLANT.THE NEXT STEP PROBABLY WOULD BE TO DETERMINE, UH, IMPACT, RIGHT? AND MAKE A GRADIENT ON RELATIVE IMPACT, LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WHAT, WHAT ACTION PLANTS CAN BE DONE NOW.
AND THEN WE NEED THE FORECASTING IN TERMS OF WHAT'S COMING UP, WHETHER IT'S A BUDGET DEVELOPMENT ISSUE, PERSONNEL ISSUE, OR A LOCALIZED STATE OR A FEDERAL ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE ONLY ON THE, WE'RE IN BETWEEN THE FIRST STAGE AND THE SECOND STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
AND, UH, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES.
WE HAVE WHAT MAKES SENSE, PROGRAMS THAT NEED TO BE SUNSET, THOSE THAT DIDN'T SEEM PLAUSIBLE.
UM, AND I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD THING, RIGHT? THAT'S A GOOD THING.
YOU'RE ASKING VERY GOOD QUESTIONS TODAY, SIR.