Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has announced that 17 colleges across the state will receive more than $3.51 million in Job Building Fund grants, while 10 nonprofit organizations will receive more than $2.86 million in Launchpad Funds through a program to help Texans get technical training for careers in fast-growing, high-demand occupations.
Houston Community College will receive $338,300 to purchase equipment for wind, solar and thermal certificate programs. Ranger College will receive $202,182 to fund a wind energy technician program.
‘We're using the Job Building Fund to help schools purchase cutting-edge equipment needed for high-demand career and technical education programs, training students for high-growth industries throughout the state in an era of rapidly increasing enrollment,’ says Combs. ‘With the Launchpad Funds, priority was given to organizations whose students are expected to graduate and find jobs paying salaries equal to or greater than the prevailing wage for high-demand occupations in the region.’
Texas public community colleges or technical institutes that receive Job Building Fund grants must provide matching funds in the form of cash, equipment, materials, supplies and/or personnel costs. The comptroller's office selected grant recipients based on each project's potential economic return to the state and on endeavors that involve dual-credit programs with local high schools or cooperative arrangements with other colleges. Priority was given to projects that target high-demand occupations and new or emerging industries.
SOURCE: Office of the Texas Comptroller Â
