Southern Careers Institute is throwing open its doors across Texas this October for a run of Halloween celebrations it calls Spooktacular, with haunted houses, trunk-or-treating, costume contests and even a job fair planned at its Texas campuses. The events, aimed at students, families and local residents, kick off this week and continue through the end of the month.
According to EIN Presswire, Southern Careers Institute will hold its annual Spooktacular celebrations throughout October at campuses in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio North, San Antonio South and Waco. Each location is putting its own spin on the festivities, with a mix of haunted houses, carnival games, face painting and family entertainment planned across the network.
The Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Pharr campuses are first up, launching their events on October 21. Corpus Christi's celebration will include a haunted house, face painting, live radio entertainment, local vendors and games for all ages, per the same report. Harlingen's event will feature a haunted house, trunk-or-treating and giveaways, while Pharr is offering carnival-style activities, an obstacle course and local vendors.
Austin and a Statewide Job Fair Round Out the Month
Austin's campus is also among those hosting a celebration this month. Later in the month, Brownsville, San Antonio North, San Antonio South and Waco will hold their own celebrations on October 29, featuring costume competitions, bounce houses, face painting, music and seasonal games.
Notably, the San Antonio South event will double as more than just a Halloween party — it's set to include a job fair connecting attendees with local employers. Southern Careers Institute is encouraging community members to contact their nearest campus for specific event details.
A Recurring Playbook for Recruitment and Outreach
Southern Careers Institute has also held seasonal festivities.
Southern Careers Institute offers career-training programs at its Austin campus, the institute says. Some programs are offered through distance education. It also holds institutional accreditation from the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and operates under regulatory approval from the Texas Workforce Commission, according to the Southern Careers Institute.
Fitting Into a Bigger Texas Labor Story
The timing lines up with a broader workforce gap that researchers have flagged across the state. A 2020 National Skills Coalition report indicated that 54% of jobs in Texas require middle-skill vocational training beyond high school, while 45% of the state's workforce holds those credentials, according to the report. Texas Workforce Commission data has also put the state's labor force at more than 15.8 million people.
Tuition Costs Remain Part of the Conversation
San Antonio's publicly funded Ready to Work initiative includes for-profit education providers — a detail Hoodline reported on previously. Hoodline also reported that Southern Careers Institute's pharmacy technician certificate costs almost $18,000, compared with just over $3,000 for coursework at Alamo Colleges.
Southern Careers Institute has an Austin campus. Community members looking for details on a specific campus's Spooktacular event can reach Southern Careers Institute contact Alyssa Luna at +1 512-432-1400.
