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Council authorizes 9‑month pilot with Ready for Industry to offer free micro‑credentials
Summary
The council authorized a no‑cost, nine‑month pilot MOU with Ready for Industry (Dr. Sean M. Nicholson) to offer online micro‑credential courses in construction, manufacturing, logistics, health care and IT for La Marque residents; staff and legal counsel will strip school‑ISD language and return an MOU for implementation details.
The La Marque City Council approved authorization for a nine‑month, no‑cost pilot agreement with Ready for Industry (RFI) on Aug. 10, following an online presentation by consultant Dr. Sean M. Nicholson. Nicholson described a 15–20 hour, six‑module, micro‑credential series that covers five broad industry tracks and can be delivered self‑paced online, in libraries, through American Job Centers and other community partners.
Nicholson told the council, “This is a 9 month pilot that we were offering at no cost to the city…I'm footing the bill for the license as well as the [pilot]. There's no financial obligation or requirement whatsoever from the city of La Marque for the period of the pilot.” Council members asked about overlap with existing Texas Workforce Commission services, liability, outreach to veterans and the possible role of the library. City attorney counsel advised caution on school‑system obligations; the council instructed staff to remove school/ISD language and bring a revised MOU back for expedited review.
Council members generally welcomed the pilot as another avenue to connect residents to training and employment pathways, and the motion authorized staff to negotiate an MOU that documents the nine‑month, no‑cost pilot, clarifies responsibilities and returns for council review after the pilot period.
