Schools receive $2.7 mill in career training grants

AUSTIN -- Gov. Greg Abbott Thursday announced 11 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants totaling more than $2.7 million to 11 schools in Northeast Texas to support career and technical education training programs.

Presented by the Texas Workforce Commission, these grants will help schools purchase and install equipment to initially train more than 1,340 students for high-demand occupations in healthcare, automotive services, welding, engineering, construction management, culinary arts, public relations, and more.

“Texas’ continued investment in our skilled, young, diverse, and growing workforce is crucial to remain the Best State for Business,” Abbott said. “These grants will help provide the tools and equipment Texas students need to develop valuable skills so they can flourish in high-demand industries.”

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III presented five awards at a ceremony attended by state and local officials, school staff, and CTE students at Paris Junior College.

• Paris Junior College: a $290,470 grant to purchase and install equipment to train 90 students as machinists.

• Honey Grove Independent School District (ISD): a $157,595 grant to train 177 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.

• North Lamar ISD: a $138,976 grant to train 132 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.

• Paris ISD: a $212,278 grant to train 171 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.

• Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy: a $556,323 grant to train 250 students as emergency medical technicians in partnership with Paris Junior College.

Treviño presented six awards at a ceremony attended by state and local officials, school staff, and CTE students at Texarkana College. The JET grants included: • Texarkana College: a $305,191 grant to purchase and install equipment to train 80 students as welders.

• Winnsboro Independent School District (ISD): a $206,432 grant for equipment to train 60 students as welders in partnership with Northeast Texas Community College.

• Waskom ISD: a $114,828 grant to train 130 students as medical assistants in partnership with Kilgore College.

• Redwater ISD: a $494,984 grant to train 90 students as welders in partnership with Texarkana College.

• Marshall ISD: a $186,908 grant to train 88 students as automotive service technicians and mechanics in partnership with Texas State Technical College System.

• Harts Bluff ISD: a $123,805 grant to train 80 students as welders in partnership with Northeast Texas Community College.

“(These) 11 northeast Texas schools are enhancing their local workforce with high-demand job training” TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel said. “Programs like the JET program support the growing demand of the Texas economy by ensuring a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the needs of Texas employers.”

Through funding provided by the Texas Legislature each biennium, TWC uses JET 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 JET grants must be used to train students for jobs in high-demand occupations.