Texas announced $1,726,092 in Skills Development Fund grants on October 29 for customized training involving Houston City College, Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley and employer partners. The awards are intended to train 689 new and current workers.
The Texas Workforce Commission administers the grants. The state announcement identifies occupations in manufacturing, technology, logistics and related fields, including maintenance technicians, welders, production operators and frontline supervisors.
The Houston-area awards include $782,998 for training 261 Tesla workers; $690,044 for 300 workers at Texas Tissue and Karsten Management; and $83,963 for 41 workers at Watchfire Signs. The release says awards were presented at Houston City College on October 28.
A separate $169,087 grant to Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande Valley is intended to train 87 workers at Denso Ten America Limited, Alps Logistics, Index Fresh and Emerson Electric. That award was presented in McAllen, according to the announcement.
The Skills Development Fund supports training partnerships among employers, public community and technical colleges, workforce boards and other eligible institutions. It is a workforce development program rather than a general cash payment to every job seeker.
The state says the program has supported training associated with more than 446,000 jobs and more than 5,000 employer partners since 1996. Those statewide historical totals are distinct from the 689 workers covered by the newly announced grants.
