Austin, Texas -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott today announced 42 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants totaling over $11 million have been awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to public junior, state, and technical colleges, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools across the state. These grants will be used to purchase equipment necessary to establish or expand career and technical education programs that offer Texas students the opportunity to earn a license, certificate, or post-secondary degree for good-paying, high-demand careers. Within the first year, the new equipment will be used to initially train more than 8,300 students.
"Businesses and companies continue to flock to Texas and choose to expand operations here because we have the most diverse, skilled workforce in America," said Governor Abbott. "Through these JET grants, Texas is supporting career and technical training programs for young Texans to become competitive in high-demand industries and meet the needs of our growing state. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission for their ongoing partnerships with schools across our state as we help prepare Texas students for the economy of the Texas of tomorrow."
“The growing Texas economy has created a greater demand for workers in a range of jobs,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Through the JET grant program, TWC and our partners provide modern equipment to help train the future Texas workforce for these valuable career opportunities.”
JET grants will be used to purchase and install equipment at the following public junior, technical, and state colleges:
- Amarillo College: a $331,268 grant to help train 80 students as welders.
- Brazosport College: a $314,028 grant to help train 138 students as registered nurses.
- Houston Community College: a $332,490 grant to help train 558 students as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- Kilgore College: a $215,673 grant to help train 465 students as radiologic technologists and technicians.
- Lamar Institute of Technology: a $343,340 grant to help train 90 students as welders.
- Lee College: a $285,000 grant to help train 100 students as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- Palo Alto College (Alamo Community College District): a $254,109 grant to help train 84 students as network and computer systems administrators.
- Paris Junior College: a $305,028 grant to help train 80 students as aircraft mechanics and service technicians.
- Ranger College: a $331,762 grant to help train 130 students as welders.
- Texas State Technical College: a $317,842 grant to help train 180 students as welders.
- Vernon College: a $142,500 grant to help train 96 students as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- Western Texas College: a $331,420 grant to help train 30 students as electric power-line installers and repairers.
JET grants will be used to purchase and install equipment at the following Texas school districts and open-enrollment charter schools:
- Academy ISD: a $192,850 grant to help train 150 students as welders.
- Alvin ISD: a $317,604 grant to help to initially train 440 students as welders.
- Chapel Hill ISD: a $210,259 grant to help train 119 students as welders.
- Fabens ISD: a $344,022 grant to help train 126 students as registered nurses.
- Farmersville ISD: a $330,362 grant to help train 250 students as architecture and engineering managers.
- Garner ISD: a $268,156 grant to help train 126 students as registered nurses.
- Hooks ISD: a $183,030 grant to help train 78 students as welders.
- Huntington ISD: a $140,664 grant to help train 163 students as welders.
- Jim Hogg County ISD: a $266,868 grant to help train 126 students as welders.
- Judson ISD: a $254,847 grant to help train 150 students as industrial engineers.
- La Joya ISD: a $330,410 grant to help train 130 students as food service managers.
- Lyford CISD: a $57,881 grant to help train 139 students as automotive service technicians and mechanics.
- Lytle ISD: a $44,659 grant to help train 120 students as chefs and head cooks.
- Maud ISD: a $262,857 grant to help train 80 students as welders.
- Monte Alto ISD: a $331,379 grant to help train 126 students as welders.
- Prairiland ISD: a $309,107 grant to help train 130 students as welders.
- Rio Grande City CISD: a $221,713 grant to help train 130 students as welders.
- Robinson ISD: a $188,887 grant to help train 185 students as medical assistants.
- Rockport-Fulton ISD: a $315,501 grant to help train 127 students as welders.
- Santa Maria ISD: a $332,326 grant to help train 126 students as registered nurses.
- Sharyland ISD: a $349,011 grant to help train 126 students as registered nurses.
- Simms ISD: a $122,672 grant to help train 68 students as welders.
- Spring ISD: a $178,398 grant to help train 128 students as managers (all others).
- Tarkington ISD: a $332,460 grant to help train 145 students as welders.
- Temple ISD: a $331,346 grant to help train 290 students as licensed vocational nurses.
- United ISD: a $311,531 grant to help train 1100 students as registered nurses.
- Valley View ISD: a $311,323 grant to help train 126 students as welders.
- Vanguard Academy: a $349,843 grant to help train 126 students as welders.
- Waxahachie ISD: a $319,235 grant to help train 1011 students as medical assistants.
- Westwood ISD: a $329,278 grant to help train 172 students as welders.
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 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.