TWC Building Trades Training Grant To Focus On Young Workers

Austin – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)will provide training grants for skills development in the area of building and construction trades with a specific focus on training young workers.

TWC commissioners on Tuesday approved using up to $300,000 of a previously approved $1.8 million for the 2020 Building and Construction Trades grant program to implement the program for young workers, which will include an evidence framework to improve the measurement of success of the grant program.

The framework was developed in partnership with the Texas Workforce Investment Council and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area.

The grant funding will create incentives for grant applicants to identify program models with a demonstrated track record of effective outcomes.

A goal of the work is to discover innovative approaches and replicable models that lead to better outcomes for young workers.

“Texas’ economic success depends on our workforce,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “These grants will help us add to our quality workforce by making this investment in the next generation.”

The program is targeted to young people between the ages of 16 and 24 that are not currently engaged in school or the workforce called “opportunity youth” – or about one in nine members of this age group in the United States.

A critical piece of this work is evaluating the project to ensure that TWC is learning from the youth training projects – figuring out what works and providing real-time adjustments to ensure participants are positioned for success.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Texas’ young workers particularly hard because they frequently lack the skills of workers with more experience,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “This grant will give them the skills they need to launch careers and take ownership of their future.”

The new grants are designed to fill in-demand jobs in the building and construction industry, which is one of the strongest sectors in the Texas economy.

There are thousands of, in-demand jobs available in the building and construction industry,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “This important industry is a crucial part of the Texas economy and this grant provides vital aid in meeting the employment needs of employers in this industry.”