Texas Workforce Commission awards grants for student, employee training

From Staff Reports
·2 min read

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) made two grant awards presentations to a local business and schools on Thursday.

TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III was scheduled to present a ceremonial check at Plains Dairy, LLC at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. According to a news release, TWC awarded a $154,985 Skills Development Fund grant to Workforce Solutions Panhandle. The funds will be used to upskill 127 employees of Plains Dairy, LLC with industry-relevant training in manufacturing, merchandising, forklift operations, transportation, food safety, and more.

The Skills Development Fund is the state's workforce training grant program to help businesses upskill their new or incumbent workforce, the release says: "In partnership with the public community and technical colleges, local workforce development boards, and Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, TWC collaborates to provide customized, innovative training for Texas businesses of all sizes."

Dr. Tamara Clunis, vice president of academic affairs at Amarillo College, is presented with a JET Grant by Alberto Trevino, commisioner of the Texas Workforce Commission, Sept. 14 in Borger.
Dr. Tamara Clunis, vice president of academic affairs at Amarillo College, is presented with a JET Grant by Alberto Trevino, commisioner of the Texas Workforce Commission, Sept. 14 in Borger.

Then at 3 p.m., Treviño III was scheduled to present multiple ceremonial checks at Frank Phillips College. TWC said it has awarded four Jobs and Education for Texans grants to support career training at four educational institutions in the Panhandle:

  • Frank Phillips College received $212,515 for equipment to train 50 students as diesel mechanic specialists;

  • Amarillo College received $346,340 to train 80 students as industrial machinery mechanics;

  • Perryton Independent School District (ISD) received $232,225 to train 141 students as welders in partnership with Frank Phillips College; and

  • Sunray ISD received $172,810 to train 50 students as welders in partnership with Amarillo College.

According to Amarillo College (AC), Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tamara Clunis was there to accept the grant for AC.

Through funding provided by the state Legislature each biennium, TWC uses Jobs and Education for Texans grants to "defray start-up costs of developing career and technical education programs for public community, state and technical colleges, school districts and charter schools," a release notes. Equipment funded through these grants must be used to train students for jobs in high-demand occupations.

The grant "positions AC to acquire cutting-edge equipment essential to the redesign of its Industrial Technology program into an Advanced Manufacturing pathway that includes a specialization in automation," a news release said. David Hall, dean of technical education, said AC will use its JET funds to adopt an industry-driven curriculum and purchase state-of-the-art training equipment to support the College’s redesign efforts, which already are underway.

“In the Texas Panhandle, increasing our region’s capabilities related to Advanced Manufacturing has quickly become an imperative,” Hall said in the release. “As technology advances, Industry 4.0 concepts such as automated systems, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and connected systems are becoming more prevalent with our industry partners.

“And in addition to the existing labor market demand for these skills,” he said, “Amarillo is attracting new employers to the area that will further increase demand for industrial machinery mechanics with skills in automation.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Texas Workforce Commission awards grants to dairy, schools, colleges