Collin College and Tarrant County College District will receive welding equipment grants under more than $20 million in statewide career training awards that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday.
The Texas Workforce Commission awarded 84 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants for 2026. The equipment will support training for more than 7,400 students in the first year, the governor’s office said.
“Students deserve a clear and affordable path to high-paying careers,” Abbott said in the October 12 press release. “Through more than $20 million in career training grants, Texas students will have the opportunity to earn licenses, certificates, or college degrees that lead to high-wage jobs. By investing in our students today, we are building a stronger Texas for generations to come.”
A total of 27 public junior, technical, and state colleges, as well as 57 Texas school districts and open charter schools, were awarded grants.
Collin College’s $346,697 grant targets training for 120 welders. Tarrant County College District will receive $55,673 to train 140 welders, according to the release.
Other recipients include Blue Ridge Independent School District, which will receive $346,185 for welding training in partnership with Collin College. Harmony Public Schools North Texas will receive $185,297 for industrial engineering training with Dallas College.
JET grants were awarded to schools and institutions providing training for a variety of other career paths, including nursing, radiology, engineering, HVAC, automotive technology, aircraft mechanics, trucking, petroleum systems, electrical systems, machining, food service, and more.
The grants pay for purchasing and installing equipment. Participating courses must lead to a license, certificate, or postsecondary degree in a high-demand occupation, the state’s Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative explained.
The Texas Legislature supplies the program’s funding. The awards support schools’ career and technical education programs rather than direct payments to individual students.
Earlier this year, six Southeast Texas schools received a separate announcement of more than $1.7 million in JET awards, as The Dallas Express previously reported. That funding targeted initial training for 410 students, including future nurses, welders, and information security analysts.
TWC also expanded eligibility this year to include the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, juvenile boards and juvenile probation departments under Senate Bill 1728. The agency adopted those changes in rules that took effect August 16, according to the Texas Register.
TWC plans to release its request for 2027 grant applications later this fall, the governor’s office said.
