Jo Rae Wagner The President, CTO Inc., Harlingen

August, 2008
Building on Your Knowledge Base

by Eileen Mattei

An advocate for lifelong learning, Jo Rae Wagner, President of CTO, Inc., sees the importance of post-secondary education on a daily basis. “The construction industry is getting to be very high tech. Continuing education keeps people up to speed on industry standards that are moving very quickly.”

CTO, a commercial plumbing contractor specializing in medical facilities, employs 60-80 plumbers and apprentices. Wagner is the chair of the Harlingen 100 Education Commitete and serves on the Tech Prep RGV Board. She has led regional initiatives for skills development in her industry for both entry level and experienced workers. This summer Wagner made a place for a Tech Prep First Generation summer intern at CTO.

Change is a constant for Wagner’s business. “For one thing, we don’t get blueprints anymore: everything is downloaded and then plotted. Changes go back to the architect on a CD. All the men have cell phones so communication is on-going,” she said. "A company can’t do things the way they have been done in the past and expect to stay in business. Likewise, an employee can’t expect to keep a job by doing things the old way."

“Most people who have gotten an education in a field will admit they need ongoing education to keep them current, keep them in step with new practices, new materials,” Wagner said. CTO puts out a newsletter detailing updates on new regulations and materials and safety issues. The company also schedules meetings that build on the employees’ knowledge base.

Many professions--electricians and plumbers to physicians and teachers--require annual continuing education credits. Plumbers, for example, have to earn 8 hours of Continuing Education yearly to keep their licenses. Wagner noted that when plumbers complete school and pass the state licensing test, it still takes between two and three years before they are truly proficient and on top of the trade.

Wagner said a prime objective of Harlingen 100 Education Committee is to establish a College Tech Prep plumbing apprenticeship program in high school that transitions to Texas State Technical College. Tech Prep student apprentices would graduate with an Associates Degree in plumbing technology and would have the option for licensure and/or transition to a baccalaureate program, laying a strong foundation for their future.

Wagner and her committee are pursuing an advanced learning center in Harlingen where outside universities can teach upper-level classes. “The nice thing about the learning center we envision is that it is not locked into any particular subject and could include Master’s programs,” she said. It would also be a venue for distance learning courses. You should never stop learning.