Project ARRIBA

Project ARRIBA (Advanced Retraining & Redevelopment Initiative in Border Areas) is a community-based nonprofit that operates as a workforce and economic development initiative in the Paso del Norte region. Our mission is to assist economically disadvantaged individuals in gaining the education and job skills needed for demand occupations that pay a family-sustaining, living wage in El Paso, Texas. Project ARRIBA promotes a working partnership between community-based organizations, training institutions, and private corporate partners.  Project ARRIBA is an El Paso-based economic development initiative, incorporated on December 16, 1998, as a public, not-for-profit.

Project ARRIBA is unlike any other job training program in our region. It is a true labor market intermediary that connects individuals wanting a higher education, training providers needing help retaining an at-risk population, and local employers needing a skilled workforce. The program provides access to an education and helps students persist while in school to successfully complete a degree or certification in a timely manner; the average time spent training is approximately 2.5 years. Furthermore, the program helps meet regional workforce shortages while strengthening the local economy, e.g., training for essential healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This model has proven to be an effective tool in the job training system for El Paso, Texas. Per a recent study, Project ARRIBA has added about $893.30 million in value to the El Paso economy in the form of future earnings of program graduates. Moreover, Project ARRIBA has supported about $31.699 million in total investment over the life of the program which implies a cumulative benefit to cost ratio of $28.00 for every $1.00 invested (“The Economic Impact of Project ARRIBA on El Paso County, Texas” prepared by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness, May 2021). To date, Project ARRIBA has graduated almost 1,600 participants and 2020 job placements are earning on average over $49,400/year in locally demanded occupations that benefit this region.