North Texas schools receive $3.5M+ in career training grants

AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas) – Several schools in North Texas will soon be able to purchase equipment to train thousands of students for high-demand occupations with grants from Jobs and Education for Texans (JET).

"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," said Governor Greg Abbott. "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."

Presented by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the combined $3,511,598 in grants will help the schools purchase and install equipment to initially train 1,164 students for high-demand occupations.  

"The Jobs and Education Texas grants provide opportunities for schools across the state to create training for high-demand jobs in their area," said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. "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."

The eight JET 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 future
• Commerce Independent School District (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 District
• Farmersville 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 College
• Grayson College: a $349,999 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 80 students in industrial machinery mechanics
• Lovejoy ISD: a $446,763 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 200 students as electronics engineers in partnership with Collin College
• North 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

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.