McALLEN — South Texas College has introduced a new program they hope will prepare students to face an uncertain job market caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Occupational Skills Awards (OSAs) consist of three to five courses a student can finish in a single semester. Currently STC offers 14 of the awards in various fields including business, computer information and technology, health sciences, public safety and technology, and is planning on rolling out more.

Sara Lozano, dean for the Division of Business, Public Safety and Technology, said the goal of the program is to give students attractive skills quickly and at a reasonable cost.

“It’s really an effort to get skills that they need as soon as they can,” she said.

Although the college has offered the awards in the past, Lozano said economic turmoil caused by the pandemic has increased demand for the program and shifted the institution’s focus onto it.

“I think right now there’s a high demand for these types of certificates, and what we see from our students right now is that everyone just wants to get a job,” she said. “Whether they were laid off or they just weren’t able to find a job in the last year, they want skills that are going to get them a job almost immediately. That’s what we’ve tailored these awards to address.”

Another driver for the awards’ popularity is the fact that many of the fields they offer training for are pandemic-resistant, Lozano said, referencing the HVAC award program.

“Those needs don’t go away in a pandemic,” she said.

To meet increased demand, STC is introducing new awards in the fall, like the police leadership OSA. Lozano said the four online courses that make up that award are geared toward people already working in law enforcement looking for the training to grow professionally.

“They learn things in that OSA that can really help them advance their career as a leader in the police industry,” she said.

More information on the college’s OSA program is available at http://www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/osa/