Governor Abbott Announces Over $7.3 Million In Workforce Skills Training Grants

TEXAS, July 1 - July 1, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced over $7.3 million in Texas Talent Connection grants awarded to 22 innovative workforce skills training and job placement programs in communities across the state. Since 2015, Governor Abbott has awarded over $57 million in Texas Talent Connection grants.

“Texas leads the nation in job creation thanks to the Best Business Climate in America and our skilled, growing workforce,” said Governor Abbott. “To continue to meet workforce demands in an expanding economy, Texas is connecting more Texans to the skills training needed for the better job and bigger paycheck opportunities we provide. Together with our community partners and entrepreneurs, we will build an even stronger Texas workforce of tomorrow.” 

The competitive grants support innovative education and workforce skills training programs that lead to successful job placements, increased wages, and improved job retention, as well as serve workforce populations with special needs, such as opportunity youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not engaged in education or employment.

The over $7.3 million in Texas Talent Connection grant awards announced today include:

• Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries, Inc.: $350,000 for year one of the Health Care Careers Initiative in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller counties. This program helps participants complete a credential in healthcare and secure employment as medical assistants, dental assistants, or certified nursing assistants.
• American YouthWorks: $350,000 for year two of the YouthBuild: Pre-Apprenticeship for Opportunity Youth project in Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. The grant provides pre-apprenticeship, integrated education and training, industry-recognized certifications, work-based learning, and registered apprenticeship for opportunity youth.
• Brazosport College: $349,432 for year one of the Opportunity Connect: Re-Engaging Opportunity Youth project serving Brazoria County. This program provides localized intervention to re-engage opportunity youth through fast-track education and skills training aligned with occupations in healthcare and construction trades.
• Community Learning Centers, Inc.: $325,000 for year two of the Maintenance and Repair Technician Training project in Tarrant County. This training and employment program helps veterans, unemployed, and those with low-income and low-skill backgrounds acquire and master basic knowledge and skills for entry-level maintenance and repair workers certification.
• Houston’s Capital IDEA, Inc.: $350,000 for year three of the Future-Focused Texas Workforce Pathways in Nursing and Technology project serving in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Waller counties. The grant provides education and training in the nursing and technology fields for unemployed or underemployed low-income adults.
• Lamar Institute of Technology: $300,791 for year three of the Drive Southeast Texas Talent project serving Jefferson County. The grant provides technical skills training for low to moderate income individuals and industry-based certifications including clinical medical assistant, medication aide, draftsman, welding, and transportation.
• Lamar State College Port Arthur: $350,000 for year three of the Sempra LNG—Clean Energy and Fair Jobs project serving Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton, and Orange counties. The grant provides training for minority and underserved students in transportation and construction.
• North Central Texas College: $350,000 for year two of the Career Circuit: Accelerating Information Technology (IT) Careers through Work-Based Partnership project serving Cooke, Denton, Montague, and Young counties. The grant provides student interns with experience in computer information systems and technology, cybersecurity, networking, and data analytics and management.
• Per Scholas, Inc.: $350,000 for year two of the Creating Economic Mobility and Robust Futures through IT Training project serving Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fort Bend, Harris, Houston, and Tarrant counties. The grant provides tuition-free technical skill training for help desk analysts, desktop support technicians, and associate network engineers.
• Project ARRIBA: $350,000 for year two of Educare: Elevating Nursing and Education in El Paso project, serving El Paso County. The grant provides underserved/at-risk students with training, intense case management, and wraparound services to help participants complete postsecondary education and obtain employment in nursing, education, and healthcare.
• Restore Education: $350,000 for year two of Opportunity Youth Job Training to Success project serving Bexar, Frio, Gillespie, Karnes, Kendall, McMullen, Medina, and Wilson counties. The grant provides paid work experience or internship to opportunity youth, foster youth, and justice-involved youth in bookkeeping, pharmacy tech, phlebotomy, and commercial driver license.
• Rural Capital Area Workforce Development Board, Inc.: $296,340 for year one of the Rural PREP – Pre-Nursing Readiness and Education Program project serving Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, and Williamson counties. The program will create career pathways for participants in licensed vocational, registered, and Bachelor of Science Nursing programs.
• Skillpoint Alliance: $255,000 for year three of the Expanding Rural Community Economic Pathways project in Andrews, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Dawson, Fayette, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hays, Howard, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Milam, Mills, Pecos, Reeves, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties. The grant provides fast-paced training to veterans and veterans’ spouses and placement services in the advanced trades or manufacturing industries.
• Smithville Workforce Training Center: $331,744 for year one of the Career Tracks Culinary Works in Rural Texas project serving Bastrop and Fayette counties. This program will pilot a culinary and hospitality workforce training model integrating apprenticeship, employment, and certification.
• Texas Premier Technology Institute Tech University: $278,000 for year one of FutureForce Texas: Pathways in AI, Cybersecurity, and IT Support program serving Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, and Tarrant counties. The program provides rapid training for veterans, unemployed, and disadvantaged youth for entry-level technical jobs in IT support, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
• Texas State Technical College: $348,074 for year three of the Commercial Driver License Professional Driving Academy – Waco project serving Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties. This program will provide training commercial driver license.
• Texas Tech University: $350,000 for year three of the Data Science Training Program for Industry, University, and High School students serving Armstrong, Bailey, Carson, Cochran, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Terry, and Yoakum counties. The program will provide training for the electric power, wind, agriculture, and petroleum industries.
• The Women's Resource of Greater Houston: $347,929 for year one of the YourLife Careers program, serving Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery counties. The 12-month program will provide 100 low-income Houston women with training and potential opportunities in high-paying jobs in the non-destructive testing, trades, and healthcare industries.
• Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement: $350,000 for year two of the Rio Grande Valley Healthcare Professional Expansion Initiative project serving residents in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. In partnership with 13 hospitals, the program provides training for certification and employment in healthcare occupations.
• Volunteers of American ‒ Houston: $350,000 for year one of the IGNITE: Empowering Youth through Technology project serving Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery counties. The program will serve 250 youth, ages 17–25, and provide training in healthcare, IT, trades, digital media, and entrepreneurship.
• Workforce Solutions of Cameron County: $350,000 for year one of the Inspiring New Talent Employment Resource Network (INTERN) program serving Cameron County. This program provides 100 high school or college students with National Center for Construction Education and Research training for certification, degree opportunities, and hands-on training experience.
• Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County: $350,000 for year two of the Neighborhood Initiative Strategy project serving Tarrant County. The grant will expand work-based opportunities for residents, 18 years or older, in healthcare, supply chain, hospitality, and other regional industries.

The Texas Workforce Investment Council assists the Governor and the Texas Legislature with strategic planning for and evaluation of the Texas workforce system to promote the development of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce for Texas. The Council’s appointed members represent business and industry, organized labor, education, and community-based organizations. Ex officio members include the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. The more than $7.3 million in Texas Talent Connection grants awarded this year by Governor Abbott are Wagner-Peyser 7(b) grant funds allocated to the Office of the Governor by the U.S. Department of Labor to encourage innovation in workforce training and job placement services.

Read more about the Texas Talent Connection grant program at: https://gov.texas.gov/organization/twic/wagner_peyser_7b_program