Local small businesses benefit from training offered by TSC

During a their first year of training in 2019, employees of WYCOTAX, a tax and payroll/book keeping services company in Harlingen and Brownsville, take part in soft skills and technical training provided by Texas Southmost College through the Skills for Small Business grants.

It’s been one year since Texas Southmost College partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission and Workforce Solutions Cameron to provide small business training through Skills for Small Business grants.

To date, the TWC has awarded TSC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education $57,700 to deliver small business training in the area and since then, TSC has provided soft skills and technical training for nearly 20 businesses and their more than 150 employees. Companies ranging from doctor’s offices and insurance companies to construction and investment businesses have benefitted.

One of the businesses that has been positively impacted by this training is WYCOTAX, a tax and payroll/book keeping services company with offices in Harlingen and Brownsville.

For a qualifying small business like WYCOTAX, the cost of training is covered by a Skills for Small Business grant.

Owner and Chief Executive Officer for WYCOTAX Chris Wycoco said they are entering their second year of training and it has been beneficial to the growth of his 10 employees and business.

“There is always room for improvement because as businesses grow, we must adapt,” said Wycoco. “And these trainings allow us to proactively manage expectations of each other as a company, build our team and improve our skills, that in turn helps us discover what motivates us so we can all be better.”

Since beginning the trainings last year, Wycoco’s team has completed training in customer service, conflict resolution management, leadership, networking basics and phone etiquette.

“In terms of effort and time, this has been a great investment for my employees and company,” he said. “And I’m thankful that the collaboration between credible organizations like TSC and the Leadership Empowerment Group have made it possible for small businesses like us to receive the resources we need to help each other grow and gain knowledge. Our best asset as a business is our people and this takes us to the next level.”

In the coming months, WYCOTAX will begin its second year of training with courses in emotional well-being during a crisis, to assist his employees during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and additional leadership training.

TSC Associate Vice President of Instruction-Workforce Training Joseph Fleishman said this opportunity has allowed the college to expand the education it offers to the businesses in the community and serve their training needs.

“With these grants we have access to identify skills, assess training needs and customize training for the small businesses we assist,” he said. “The goal of TSC and its Board of Trustees is to engage with our community to fulfill our role as a comprehensive community college and these grants allow us to do that.”

Training partner Barbara Hinojosa from the Leadership Empowerment Group agrees that trainings like these help communities flourish.

“This type of training gives our local businesses a competitive advantage,” she said. “We’re barely scraping the tip of the iceberg with everything we can offer. Our region needed this type of training and it’s been great working with TSC in providing this resource and serving our community.”

These trainings are aimed at small businesses with 100 employees or less and the goal is to help increase productivity and help them prosper.

For more information about TSC’s small business training, visit tsc.edu, call TSC Workforce Training and Continuing Education at 956-295-3724, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .