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What is Bexar County OIC?
Bexar County Opportunities Industrialization Center is a non-profit education and job-training provider committed to helping poor and disadvantaged individuals and families help themselves. Our programs and services are designed to support the development of a skilled workforce for the 21st Century. Additionally, our programs build the foundation skills needed for careers and for post-secondary study.
Bexar County OIC is also part of a large affiliated network of OIC centers located around the world with each center organized to meet the unique needs of its respective community. At Bexar County OIC, our focus is on serving both the youth and adult population through a wide array of programs that focus on literacy, job preparation and job retention skills for public and private sector employment.
Mission
“To eliminate illiteracy and poverty in San Antonio and Bexar County through education and job training”
Philosophy
Bexar County OIC is devoted to helping people help themselves. Moreover, what makes Bexar County OIC different from other service providers is OIC’s philosophy and principles of services. Our philosophy and principles are stated as follows:
§ OIC believes in the desire and capability of all individuals to grow and be self-reliant, if provided job skills, life skills, and proper motivation and personal development opportunities.
§ In OIC, the individual served is the most important person in the entire organization.
§ OIC’s provision of services is a “whole person” approach. This means services are directed to all aspects of individual needs.
§ All OIC trainees must participate in the OIC Feeder Program, which is designed to prepare trainees for jobs and or skills training through diagnostics, educational, and motivational training. All training goals are job oriented.
§ OIC sees value in providing selected courses, which allows for open-entry and open-exit, thus enabling trainees to advance at their own pace.
§ Every person should be treated with dignity and respect.
§ OIC screens people in, not out.
History
Bexar County Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc, a San Antonio-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit education and training agency, was founded in 1973 as an affiliate of Opportunities Industrialization Center of America. The mission of the organization is to eliminate illiteracy and poverty in San Antonio and Bexar County by providing basic education, vocational skills training, literacy, job readiness and job placement services. The overall goal is to prepare unskilled and under skilled youth and adults for entry-level jobs.
During the early 80s, the agency conducted the first automated bank teller training in the City of San Antonio. In the late 80s through the mid 90s , Bexar County OIC was one of the original 5 OIC sites to pilot the Ford Foundation funded Quantum Opportunities Program (QUOP) which resulted in a significant impact on high school graduation and post-secondary school attendance. This program continues today. Additionally, the agency was one of the pilot sites for implementation of the Comprehensive Competencies Program first version as the “Learning Opportunity Center”, and was a pilot site for implementation of t he COORS Reading to Reduce Recidivism Program. In the late 90s through the 20th century, Bexar County OIC piloted the Meadows funded Project Future Family Literacy Program; the Texas Workforce Noncustodial Parent Program; the X-Offender Program in collaboration with the Texas Crime Prevention Institute; the Home Depot Pilot Program in collaboration with the Enterprise Foundation; and the Financial Literacy Education Program in collaboration with Consumer Action.
In the 38 years of operations, Bexar County OIC has helped over 57,000 people to help themselves. Our program participant completion rate is 90% with a job placement rate of 85% and job retention rate of 80 % after 90 days of employment.
Throughout its history, Bexar County OIC has sought to apply its education and training expertise and resources in the most effective way possible to address the root causes of illiteracy, disenfranchisement, underemployment and poverty.
Management
Willie J. Clark
Executive Director
Willie J. Clark joined Bexar County OIC in 1993, where he served as the Summer Youth Project Officer and later as the Client Center Manager. In 1995, he was selected as the Executive Director of Bexar County OIC. During his tenure, Bexar County OIC has addressed the issues of literacy, job skills and placement among youth and adults with a series of innovative programs. These include Job Central, Project Future a Family Literacy Program, Noncustodial Parent Program, Career Plus Charter School, AAMEN Community Garden, X-Offender Program, Financial Literacy , Home Depot Pilot Program, and the development of skill training in healthcare, green jobs, and administration. He has also led the organization in social enterprise development.
Mr. Clark holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern University and master’s degree in Management from Webster University. He is also certified in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Texas, San Antonio.
Charles R. Hayes
Deputy Director
Charles R. Hayes joined Bexar County OIC in 1994, where he served as the Recruitment and Marketing Specialist for the Summer Youth Program. In 1995, he was selected as the Deputy Director. Mr. Hayes has an extensive background in planning, training, and marketing. He received middle and executive level management training through the U.S. Army and has extensive experience in managing large projects as well as directing public relation activities for one of the largest retail operations in the world.
Mr. Hayes has completed phase one of the University of Texas-San Antonio Non-profit Management and Leadership Training Certification. His formal education includes bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Southern University, and a master’s degree in Business from Webster University.
Board of Directors
Bobbie J. Turner (Chair)
Retired
Department of Defense
Ann Reid (Vice Chair)
Business Administrator
University of Texas Health Science Center
Jean Nettelfield (Secretary)
Adjunct Faculty
St. Philip’s College
Sandra Cranford (Treasurer)
Manager, Utilization Review
Methodist Healthcare System
Eugene Coleman (Founding Board Member)
Publisher
SNAP News Paper
Benjamin Green
Human Resource Specialist
Randolph Air Force Base
Sonja Martinez
Human Resource Representative
South Texas Blood & Tissue Center
LaNita McCollum
Team Leader, Financial Recovery
Humana
Phyllis Traylor
Adjunct Faculty
St. Philip’s College