Tesla donates $600,000 to ECHS & P-TECH for manufacturing studio

The district accepted a significant investment from the ECHS & P-TECH anchor partner, Tesla, at a special event held on Jan. 25. The $600,000 investment was celebrated on Thursday as it will support equipment purchases for the Gigafactory Texas P-TECH Manufacturing Studio inside the new ECHS & P-TECH.

“This studio provides another opportunity for our kids to have the choice to create their optimal path and career and prepare for their future,” said Dr. Annette Tielle. “Our students deserve the best because they are the best. Del Valle ISD has become a cornerstone for innovative education in Central Texas.”

The program will support students in a hands-on four-year program that will prepare students for robotics and automation careers in growing local industries. Since 2021, 144 DVISD graduates have secured full-time careers at Gigafactory Texas through the district’s partnership with Tesla’s Manufacturing Development Program. In 2023, 207 students secured internships throughout the year, and a total of 564 workforce certifications were obtained.

“The P-TECH program has been the North Star. [We’re] able to come to this building and actually see it happening, and to be able to contribute $600,000 of manufacturing automation equipment for students to be able to train on the same type of technology, the same type of automation technology we have just down the road at the Tesla Gigafacotry,” said Rohan Patel, Vice President, Tesla Public Policy and Business Development. “The MDP students are amazing, the high school students are amazing, the teachers are amazing.”

DVISD alumni who went through the Tesla program and are now working at the Gigafactory spoke at the ceremony about their own experience and encouraged current students to seriously consider the unique program.

"It’s just a big opportunity to work for Telsa if you don’t plan to go to college, or if you do plan to go, do robotics. It could be a good opportunity," said Julian. "I am now going down the path where I’m a lead. I’ve been a lead now for almost two years, and now my goal is to be a production supervisor. I was told I would be interviewed sometime in February, so I’m looking forward to that."

“It was honestly a huge blessing, and I would not be where I am now up for a repair tech on the Cybertruck,” Dakota said. “I don’t know where I’d be without Tesla. This company has really helped me.”

The ceremony was held in the frame of the building that will house the ECHS & P-TECH, which remains under construction at this time. It is scheduled to open in time for the fall semester in August 2024.