North Texas schools to receive more than $3.5 million in career training grants

AUSTIN, Texas — Some North Texas high school students will soon have more resources to pursue specific job careers earlier in their education.

On Friday, Governor Greg Abbott announced eight Jobs and Education for Texans grants to support career and technical education training by six North Texas-area educational institutions. 

The combined $3,511,598 in grants, which is being presented by the Texas Workforce Commission, will help schools purchase and install equipment to initially train 1,164 students for high-demand occupations. 

“Texas continues to support our next generation of highly-skilled workers and boost our state’s growing economy through career training grants,” Abbott said in a released statement. 

“These grants will provide schools in North Texas the opportunity to purchase and install equipment that will train over a thousand students for good-paying careers in farm equipment mechanics, nursing, electrical engineering, HVAC, and more. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission for their collaboration with these schools as we help North Texas students prepare to join our workforce in these high-demand industries.”

The eight grants include:

Collin College: a $332,365 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 140 students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) program, with additional students to be trained in the futureCommerce ISD: a $301,544 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 126 students in farm equipment mechanics in partnership with Collin County Community College DistrictFarmersville ISD (two grants):$702,240 for equipment to train an initial 132 students as marketing managers in partnership with Collin College$746,743 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 230 students in agricultural engineering with Collin CollegeGrayson College: a $349,999 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 80 students in industrial machinery mechanicsLovejoy ISD: a $446,763 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 200 students as electronics engineers in partnership with Collin CollegeNorth Central Texas College (two grants):$331,827 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 130 students in nursing$300,117 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 126 students in welding careers

“The Jobs and Education Texas grants provide opportunities for schools across the state to create training for high-demand jobs in their area,” Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel said. “Six North Texas-area colleges have made the step to train more than a thousand students in the region to support local employers and bolster the economy.”

On Friday, Texas Workforce Commission Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III presented the awards at a ceremony that included state and local officials, school staff, and career and technical education students at Collin College Technical Campus.

Through funding provided by the Texas Legislature each biennium, the Texas Workforce Commission used Jobs and Education Texas grants to defray start-up costs to develop career and technical education programs for the public community, state and technical colleges, school districts, and charter schools. Equipment funded through these grants must be used to train students for jobs in high-demand occupations.

You can learn more about the Jobs and Education Texas grant program by clicking here.