High school diploma or GED required to work
Island employers turn away average of 10 percent of applicants for lack of either
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

STAFF PHOTO BY JUDY K. KRANTZ On the job Martin Lopez, health and beauty care and general merchandise manager at the Family Center IGA, checks stock. Lopez, a native of the Rio Grande Valley, attended The University of Texas - Pan American.

[Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles exploring the issue of adult education and literacy in Port Aransas.]

It is, of course, not possible to put a dollar figure on the effect an education can have on a community.

It's very possible to agree on some basics, though.

Port Aransas is a vacation destination where the cost of living is somewhat higher than in many surrounding communities.

Resort properties and other businesses need workers for the service industries - restaurants, convenience stores, etc. - that help keep this economy going.

The better your education, the better chance you have of getting a better job.

And employers, generally, recognize that a high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) certificate at least indicates a person's willingness and ability to stick to a task long enough to see it through.

That's why places like The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (MSI) insist on at least a GED or diploma, even for entry-level jobs.

"We tell them when they walk in, 'If you can't check that box, don't bother turning in an application'," said Dr. Steve Lanoux, the MSI's assistant director for facilities and boat operations.

Lanoux estimated there are between 50 and 60 positions at MSI that don't require degrees.

But MSI is a graduate educational institution. You'd expect them to demand more.

Then, what about the City of Port Aransas? As it turns out, the city has the same standards.

"We decided some time ago to require either a diploma or GED for our employees," said Pam Hatzenbuehler, assistant city secretary.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 44,378 people over the age of 25 in Nueces County without a high school diploma last year (no breakdown by city was available from the Census Bureau). At the same time, there were 55,462 with a high school diploma (but no further education), 60,442 with some college and 26,528 with a bachelor's degree (but no graduate degree).

Look at another set of numbers: In Nueces County in 2006, there were 6,670 men and 9,317 women over the age of 25 without a high school diploma or GED who were living at or below the poverty level - a total of 15,987 of both sexes. But for those who have a high school diploma or GED, the numbers came to only 3,180 men and 6,708 women.

The inescapable conclusion is that you're twice as likely to be living in poverty if you're a male without a high school diploma or GED, and 50 percent more likely if you're a woman. And that doesn't take into account that there are many more residents who have a high school education but no college (55,462) than who don't (44,378).

And if you think none of those families lives in Port Aransas, think again. Sue Williams, who ran the Port Aransas Emergency Services Toy Roundup program for eight years, estimates that 30 percent of the families that ask for help with Christmas toys for kids have neither a high school diploma nor a GED.

Last year, South Jetty editor Mary Henkel Judson wrote in a Spinoff column about affordable housing:

"The reality is that in Port Aransas, there's not a square foot of sand that can be had at such a price that anyone but a 'sugar daddy' could afford to build 'subsidized housing.' And if we had a 'sugar daddy', how long would the relationship last?

"For starters, let's talk about who needs affordable housing.

"We are talking about wait staff at bars and restaurants, housekeepers at motels and condominiums, technically skilled and semi-skilled employees, teachers, management and mid-management employees. The definition of affordable housing for each varies.

"This is a critical issue that is affecting every business and property owner in town."

The issue is no less critical today and it's not confined to housing. It includes food, clothing and a sense of security.

You read last week that Mike Hall, co-owner and managing partner at the Family Center IGA store in Port Aransas, expects as many as 10 percent of the people who apply for jobs there to be unable to fill out a job application.

At La Mirage Condominiums, general manager Sheila Pizaña employs 20 people in housekeeping and maintenance, up to 35 during the busy season. Pizaña estimated that one-fourth of her employees have trouble filling out forms. Some need help to get the forms completed, she said.

Randall Moore at Island Construction said he was "shocked, absolutely astounded" at the number of people who can't produce even a valid Texas driver's license. That ranges up to half the people who apply for jobs at the construction firm, he said.

But Moore's approach is to help his employees.

"Our guys know that if they need some time (to work on their education) … you know, it does me no good to keep them from being the best they can be," he said.

"If they don't have one, a GED is a big step toward taking responsibility for your life."

Next: Former U.S. Education Secretary Lauro Cavazos, a part-time Port Aransas resident, talks about the problem of under-educated adults and what should be done to reduce their numbers.