Gov. Greg Abbott announced a substantial grant by the Texas Workforce Commission to Uvalde CISD to help students train to become welders.
The Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant, totaling over $310,000, will be used to provide equipment and training to 100 Uvalde CISD students interested in a career in welding, according to a press release. Southwest Texas Junior College has partnered with CISD to launch the initiative.
The JET grant will pay for the purchase and installation of equipment for career and technical education courses that lead to a license, degree, or certification in high-demand or targeted occupations, according to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Entities eligible for the grant include Texas school districts and public junior, state, and technical colleges.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, JET grants were also awarded to Commerce ISD, Farmersville ISD, Grayson College, Lovejoy ISD, Venus ISD, Weatherford ISD, and North Central Texas College.
“Investments in community partnerships to train the next generation of workers in Texas will support the needs of employers and create long-term career opportunities for individuals,” said Bryan Daniel, chairman of the TWC, per the press release. “Uvalde CISD is growing their local workforce through CTE training that will help Texans in their area pursue a high-demand career.”
Uvalde CISD has been struggling academically for some time, with only 29% of students scoring at grade level on their STAAR exams during the 2021-2022 school year. For comparison, some 41% of students at Dallas ISD scored at grade level on the exams.
However, Uvalde CISD did clock a significantly better on-time graduation rate. About 88% of Uvalde CISD’s graduating Class of 2022 earned a diploma in four years. At Dallas ISD, almost 20% of qualifying students did not graduate on time, according to the Texas Education Agency’s latest accountability reports.
“Texas remains the Best State for Business thanks to our continued investment in growing a highly skilled and dynamic workforce,” said Abbott. “This JET grant will help equip Southwest Texas students with the skills and experience they need to thrive in high-demand welding careers. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission, Southwest Texas Junior College, and our educational partners for their ongoing dedication to [bolstering] Texas’ workforce to create more economic opportunities for hardworking Texans.”
