Governor announces millions in workforce grants

Governor Greg Abbott announced over $6.3 million in Texas Talent Connection grants were awarded to 20 innovative workforce skills training and job placement programs in communities across the state. Since 2015, Governor Abbott has awarded over $50 million in Texas Talent Connection grants.

“Texas dominates the nation in job creation thanks to the strength of our young, skilled, diverse, and growing workforce,” Abbott said. “Continuing to meet growing workforce demands across existing and emerging industries is critical to expand opportunities for prosperity for more Texas families. Through the Texas Talent Connection Grant program, I am proud to connect more Texans to the skills needed to advance in high-demand careers and more employers to Texans with the skills needed to expand their businesses.”

Administered by the Texas Workforce Investment Council in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism, the competitive Texas Talent Connection grant program supports innovative education and workforce skills training programs that lead to successful job placement, increased wages, and improved job retention, as well as serve workforce populations with special needs.

The Texas Talent Connection grant awards announced include:

American YouthWorks: $350,000 for year one of the YouthBuild: Pre-Apprenticeship for Opportunity Youth project in Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. The grant provides pre-apprenticeship for opportunity youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not sufficiently engaged in employment or education. The grant will provide integrated education and training that may include industry-recognized certifications, work-based learning, and guided connections to employment, registered apprenticeship, and postsecondary education and training at no cost to participants.

Community Learning Centers, Inc.: $325,000 for year one of the Maintenance and Repair Technician Training project in Tarrant County. The grant provides an innovative training and employment program for veterans, unemployed, underemployed, and those with low-income and low-skill backgrounds to acquire and master basic knowledge and skills for entry-level maintenance and repair workers certification in multiple industry sectors.

Project ARRIBA: $350,000 for year one of Educare: Elevating Nursing and Education in El Paso project, serving El Paso County. The grant provides training for underserved/at-risk El Pasoans by enrolling them in the program’s award-winning workforce development model of intense case management and wraparound services. This model helps participants succeed in postsecondary education, leading graduates to secure employment in the high-demand occupations of nursing, education, and healthcare.

Restore Education: $350,000 for year one of Opportunity Youth Job Training to Success project serving Bexar, Frio, Gillespie, Karnes, Kendall, McMullen, Medina, and Wilson counties. The grant provides training in the form of paid work experience or internship to opportunity youth, foster youth, and justice-involved youth to help secure certifications and employment for in-demand career opportunities in customer service, bookkeeping, pharmacy tech, phlebotomy, and Commercial Driver License.

Skillpoint Alliance: $210,000 for year two of the Expanding Rural Community Economic Pathways project in Andrews, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Dawson, Fayette, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hays, Howard, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Milam, Mills, Pecos, Reeves, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties. The grant utilizes Skillpoint Alliance’s Rapid Employment Model to provide fast-paced skill-building and placement to veterans and veterans’ spouses in rural communities to place them in the advanced trades or manufacturing industries.

Texas A&M Prairie View: $350,000 for year one of PathFinderU project serving Harris, Liberty, Fort Bend, and Waller counties. The grant provides career training, certifications, and job opportunities for high-demand, high-wage, sustainable careers in cybersecurity, carpentry, plumbing, and low-voltage electrical wiring.

Texas Tech University: $350,000 for year two of the Data Science Training Program for Industry, University, and High School Students serving Armstrong, Bailey, Carson, Cochran,

Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Terry, and Yoakum counties. The grant will provide for the development of a new, region-specific data science training program tied to occupational skills acquisition, job placement, and career enhancement for current and future industry professionals in the electric power, wind, agriculture, and petroleum industries.

Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement: $350,000 for year one of the Rio Grande Valley Healthcare Professional Expansion Initiative project serving residents in

Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. Through its partnerships with 13 area hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley, this grant project provides training for certification and employment for high-demand careers in healthcare support, licensed practical and vocational nursing, registered nurses, therapists, and health technologists and technicians.

SOURCE Office of the Texas Governor