Bill Eaves
beaves@foghornnews.com
Texas Mutual Insurance Co. has donated a $100,000 grant to Del Mar College’s driver safety program.
Woody Hill, vice president of safety services for Texas Mutual, presented the check to Del Mar representatives Lenora Keas and Mary McQueen Jan. 25 on West Campus.
“It’s our mission to promote safety in the workplace,” Hill said. “We want everyone to go home in the same condition they arrive to work in.”
He expressed Texas Mutual’s desire to promote safety education in the community, which the insurer supports by donating to six campuses annually. This is Del Mar’s fourth year with the program, which has been running for 16 years.
John Rojas, director of Transportation Training Services, was on hand to accept the award, and explained how the grant allows Del Mar to benefit the community.
“The grant allows driver safety training for community employers, RTA and other locals,” Rojas said. “It saves them the costs for training.”
Rojas explained that the grant allows Del Mar to provide training cost-free, which in turn allows businesses to hire more workers, who are in high demand.
“There’s a large demand for drivers. The grant helps get workers out to the workforce faster,” Rojas said.
Those workers include Bertha Perez, supervisor for the Flour Bluff transportation division.
“A lot of times the basics are all we train but this goes in to detail,” Perez said. “It’s a great experience. I think everyone should go through it.”