“IET is about equity.”
This is how Integrated Education and Training (IET) instructor Nina Bar Giron of the University of New Mexico-Taos described the structured program that helps adult learners improve their academic skills while earning an industry-recognized credential aligned with a specific career or job goal.
For Giron, IET is about supporting her learners not just in their educational goals but also in their career aspirations.
“It’s about supporting all of our learners in their educational and career goals. The most rewarding moments for me as an adult educator in the IET classroom are when I see students gain confidence in their abilities,” she said. “Sometimes our students are the first in their families to earn any kind of academic credential, and it’s so moving to see their entire family show up to the end-of-semester celebration.”
Meanwhile, IET student Nicole Marcus said she was inspired by the IET instructors’ passion for the health care profession.
“I was grateful for their rallying to make sure we all understood the material and made it through the semester,” said Marcus. “It felt like family in the classroom, the lab and during clinicals. I admire my instructor’s diversified approach to teaching us how to grasp different learning concepts, retain material and build life skills in general. She helped me personally explore several styles of not taking, which supported me throughout the semester.”
IET, offered by 19 adult education agencies across New Mexico, serves as a vital resource for adults seeking to launch or change their careers. Its programs combine strong academic skills development with workforce preparation and training in key sectors, such as infrastructure, clean energy, and child care. IETs also help adults improve their English language proficiency in the context of career training.
The program consists of 40 active offerings this year and a total of 77 approved IET programs, covering a range of high-demand fields. These include workforce training and career pathway programs in healthcare, skilled trades, construction, energy, transportation, public safety, culinary arts, entrepreneurship, and workplace literacy designed to prepare individuals for in-demand jobs.
Data from the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s Adult Education Division show that statewide enrollment in the IET system grew by nearly 50 percent in Fiscal Year 2025 compared to the prior year, with a total of 787 enrollees. Those students earned 487 industry-recognized certificates in high-demand fields, representing a 44 percent year-over-year increase.
“The state’s investment in IET is paying big dividends,” said Dr. Amber Gallup, director of the Adult Education Division of the Higher Education Department.
Gallup said more and more New Mexicans are taking advantage of the opportunity to make a new start for themselves and their families.
“IET coursework is a catalyst to a new career, a new educational journey. Providing New Mexicans with broader opportunities to support their families and communities will continue to be our north star at the Adult Education Division.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has made expanding IET programs statewide one of her priorities. In 2024, dozens of new workforce training programs were approved primarily at community colleges, funded by a recurring legislative appropriation of $2 million each year over the next three fiscal years.
New Mexicans who want to learn more about a nearby IET program are encouraged to visit the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s webpage. They may also contact the Adult Education Division at 1 (833) 675-1437.