Austin News

Governor Greg Abbott has announced a series of job training grants amounting to $1,352,957 awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to Collin County Community College District, popularly known as Collin College. These grants aim to support the training of over 840 new and current workers across 13 local businesses, focusing on high-demand sectors such as healthcare, accounting, and manufacturing.

Governor Abbott highlighted the importance of workforce investment for Texas's economic success, stating, "The more than $1 million in grant funding will provide customized technical training for over 840 workers in high-demand industries in Collin County. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission for their partnership with community colleges across the state to ensure Texans have the skills they need to thrive in the economy of tomorrow."

TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel emphasized the impact of these grants, noting, "Skills Development Fund grants help train new and current workers for many in-demand occupations. With the grants awarded today, Collin County Community College District and their local business partners can address critical workforce demands and help Texans find successful career paths."

The grant awards were formally presented by TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III during a ceremony at the Collin Higher Education Center in McKinney. The grants are segmented as follows:

- $362,157 to train 370 workers at Natural Polymer, Cain Watters & Associates, Cates Control Systems Inc, and Fiber Systems International.

- $478,770 for 227 workers at AXL LLC, Encore Wire Corporation, and StatLab LLC.

- $353,072 for 169 workers at CSG Forte Payments Inc., FlexLink Systems Inc., Netrio, and Portable Solar.

- $158,958 for 78 workers at Helm Dental Laboratory LLC and Unicom Engineering.

These training initiatives are part of the Skills Development Fund (SDF), Texas's program to enhance workforce skills through partnerships with public community and technical colleges and various enterprises. Since its start in 1996, the SDF program has contributed to skill development and job creation efforts, assisting over 4,900 employers and facilitating more than 435,000 jobs across Texas.