Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has announced that three schools in the Panhandle area have been awarded career training grants totaling over $739,700. These funds are intended to help train students for high-demand jobs through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants, administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The grants will aid in purchasing and installing equipment necessary for career and technical education programs, aiming to initially train more than 230 students in fields such as emergency medical technology and nursing.

Governor Abbott stated, "The Texas economy is booming thanks to our diverse and highly skilled workforce." He emphasized the importance of these investments for the ongoing success of the workforce and expressed gratitude to TWC for their partnership with colleges across Texas.

Bryan Daniel, TWC Chairman, commented on the significance of these awards: "Today’s JET grant awards will allow hundreds of students to train for critical healthcare occupations like emergency medical technicians and nurses." He highlighted the role of innovative educational institutions in preparing future job seekers and building a pipeline of talented workers.

Earlier today, Joe Esparza, TWC Commissioner Representing Employers, presented the awards at a ceremony held at the Workforce Solutions Panhandle regional office. State and local officials, along with school staff, attended this event.

The three JET grants have been distributed as follows:

- Amarillo College received $311,476 to train 120 students as emergency medical technicians.

- Clarendon College was granted $97,025 to prepare 11 students as nursing assistants.

- Frank Phillips College obtained $331,298 to educate 100 students as licensed practical and vocational nurses.

Funded by the Texas Legislature each biennium, JET grants help defray start-up costs associated with developing or expanding career and technical education programs at public community colleges, state colleges, technical colleges, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools. Equipment funded through these grants must be used for training students in high-demand occupations. The announcement of JET grant awards for the current fiscal year is forthcoming.