UNM-Taos awarded federal grants to build Northern New Mexico's workforce

TAOS, N.M. - The University of New Mexico-Taos has been awarded two federal grants totaling $5.25 million to train Northern New Mexico residents for well-paying jobs close to home. Both the Strengthening Institutions and Rural Postsecondary Economic Development (RPED) grants come from the U.S. Department of Education and are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Together, they turn the Taos Workforce Center, a former National Guard armory donated to the college in 2025, into a regional hub for hands-on career training. The grants will equip the new Taos Workforce Center, launch new trades programs, and connect students from high school through college to local careers.

Only 19 colleges nationwide received an RPED grant, and UNM-Taos was the only institution in New Mexico selected for funding.

Together, the RPED and Strengthening Institutions grants will bring $5.25 million in federal funding to UNM-Taos over the next five years. The grants will support improvements to the Taos Workforce Center, create new career training programs, purchase industry-standard equipment, expand apprenticeships and internships, and strengthen pathways from high school classrooms to high-demand careers.

The funding will help transform the Taos Workforce Center into a regional hub for workforce development, providing students and community members with hands-on training for careers in construction, plumbing, HVAC, information technology, commercial driving, healthcare, water systems, and other in-demand fields.

"Many families want careers that let them stay in the communities where they have lived for generations, and employers here need skilled workers. The Taos Workforce Center is where those two needs meet. These grants give us the building and the equipment to make it work," said UNM-Taos Chancellor Mary Gutierrez.

The grants are:
The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program Grant is a five-year award focused on improving facilities, student support services, career guidance, and workforce training opportunities.

The RPED Grant is a four-year award that will help launch new workforce programs, expand partnerships with employers, and create more opportunities for internships and apprenticeships.

Together, the grants will help:

• Build out and equip the Taos Workforce Center. Strengthening Institutions will fund construction and fabrication labs, upgraded power and ventilation, and classroom technology in the former armory. Both grants will add industry-standard training equipment, including computer-controlled cutting tools, a commercial truck driving simulator, heavy equipment for construction training, and patient simulators for emergency medical and allied health students.
• Launch new training programs. The RPED Grant will start new programs at the Workforce Center in fields such as heating and cooling, plumbing, information technology, and water. At least one will be a short-term program designed to qualify for the new Workforce Pell Grant.
• Students start earlier, in high school. Students at Taos, Vista Grande, and Moreno Valley high schools can earn college credit through a nationally recognized construction trades pre-apprenticeship. RPED aims to grow participation from about 35 students a year to more than 60.
• Give students a guide. Students will get one-on-one help matching classes to careers, employers, and support services.
• Put students to work while they learn. UNM-Taos will sign formal agreements with regional employers for internships and apprenticeships, and develop at least two new apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship pathways.
• Track what works. The college will track regional job demand and student outcomes so programs can adapt as employer needs change.

"Employers have been telling us for years what they need. Now we have the classrooms and the equipment to answer them, and to show our students a clear route from a first class to a paycheck," said Elizabeth Campbell, Workforce Development and Community Outreach Program Manager at UNM-Taos.

Partners across the two projects include Los Alamos National Laboratory, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, UA Local 412 Plumbers and Pipefitters, the Associated General Contractors of New Mexico, the Regional Development Corporation, the Northern New Mexico Coalition for Work-Based Learning, Holy Cross Medical Center, IATSE Local 480, the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department, Taos Pueblo, Santa Clara Pueblo, and public workforce agencies.

The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program helps colleges that serve large numbers of low-income students improve academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability. The RPED program supports career pathways for rural students in high-demand fields.

Both projects began last month. RPED runs through Sept. 30, 2030, while Strengthening Institutions runs through Sept. 30, 2031.

For more news and information, visit UNM-Taos.

** Top photo: The Taos Workforce Center, a former National Guard armory, was donated to the college in 2025 to develop a regional hub for hands-on career training.