Lone Star College: Your Future Workforce Is Already on Campus

In a compelling episode of The Building Texas Show, workforce development leader Andrew Johnson III of Lone Star College issued a powerful call to Texas employers, positioning the community college system as their most affordable training partner and competitive advantage. Johnson, who heads workforce education at one of the nation's largest community college systems serving 95,000 students across North Houston, emphasized that the future workforce Texas companies desperately need is already on campus, ready for direct recruitment and partnership opportunities. With major employers like Foxconn, Apple, SpaceX, SLB, and Daikin already leveraging Lone Star College's talent pipeline, Johnson challenged corporate America to establish on-campus offices and bypass expensive staffing agencies that charge 35% above wage for talent searches.

Lone Star College's workforce model operates through three strategic pillars: customized training programs tailored to specific employer needs, continuing education for rapid upskilling, and credit-based workforce pathways supporting long-term career mobility. The college is preparing to launch a fully autonomous "lights-out" manufacturing line by 2027, giving students hands-on experience with future-ready production systems. Programs span advanced manufacturing, machining, welding, fiber/telecom, AI applications, and energy sector trades—all aligned with regional employer demand. The affordability advantage is striking: while for-profit technical schools often burden graduates with high five-figure debt, Lone Star graduates typically spend only around $7,000 total while entering high-paying careers with strong employer demand.

Johnson's personal mission reflects the transformative power of community colleges—as a third-generation shipbuilder and welder who returned to school later in life and earned his PhD at age 62 after attending four community colleges. His philosophy of "bringing those two points together" now shapes Lone Star College's approach to connecting students, parents, and employers directly on campus. Through dual-credit programs with local ISDs, students can graduate high school with up to 60 college hours at no cost, while employers are creating co-op models that allow students to earn wages and gain industry experience simultaneously. The college invites Texas employers across Houston, North Houston, and the Cypress/Klein region to build custom training programs, recruit from the 95,000-student talent pool, and develop co-op and apprenticeship partnerships that provide a genuine competitive advantage in today's tight labor market.