PEDC Partners with East Texas A&M for Industry Connect 2025

In November 2025, the Paris Economic Development Corporation partnered with East Texas A&M University's College of Science and Engineering to host Industry Connect 2025, an event designed to connect emerging talent with local industry leaders. The event brought together students, faculty, and employers from across the region, creating a forum for networking, career exploration, and collaborative problem-solving.

Industry Connect 2025 is one of several workforce initiatives the PEDC has advanced as part of its 2025 strategic priorities. The PEDC also facilitated an Industry Roundtable focused on workforce challenges and the potential benefits of a Foreign Trade Zone designation for Paris, which would enhance the region's ability to attract international manufacturers and logistics operators.

The university-industry connection

East Texas A&M University, located in Commerce approximately 40 miles from Paris, serves as a regional educational hub for Northeast Texas. Its College of Science and Engineering produces graduates in fields directly relevant to the employers expanding in Lamar County, including industrial engineering, manufacturing technology, supply chain management, and computer science. By partnering with the PEDC, the university signals that its curriculum and career placement efforts are aligned with the real needs of the regional economy.

For local employers, the event provides direct access to a pipeline of trained graduates who are already oriented toward the region and less likely to relocate to a metro area than graduates from larger universities. This retention advantage is significant for companies that need stable, long-term workforces rather than transient labor pools.

PEDC workforce strategy

The Industry Connect event is part of a broader workforce development strategy that the PEDC outlined in its 2025 Year in Review. The strategy includes strengthening the talent pipeline, supporting existing employers through retention and expansion efforts, and encouraging entrepreneurship. The PEDC also partnered with Rural Development Partners to fund workforce training initiatives, with the first recipients of the Community Investment Program grants announced in 2025.

The Foreign Trade Zone designation, for which the PEDC has engaged Ernst & Young to pursue, would complement the workforce initiatives by making Paris more competitive for international manufacturing and distribution operations. A Foreign Trade Zone allows companies to defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties on imported goods, making it more cost-effective to locate processing and assembly operations in the region.

What it means for commercial property

Workforce partnerships are a leading indicator of economic sustainability. Communities that invest in connecting education and employment create the conditions for stable, long-term growth. The PEDC's partnership with East Texas A&M, combined with the JET grants to Paris ISD and Paris Junior College, the NC3 certification programs, and the Industry Roundtable, collectively demonstrate that Paris is building a workforce ecosystem that can support the expanding industrial base.

For commercial property investors, the workforce infrastructure matters because it determines whether the jobs created by new facilities can be filled, retained, and grown. A property in a market with a strong workforce pipeline is a lower-risk investment than one in a market that depends on importing labor from outside. The 1905 E Price St property, with its flexible zoning for multi-family, commercial, medical, and community uses, stands to benefit from a workforce ecosystem that brings more employed residents into the community and sustains demand for commercial services.