Governor Abbott Announces Over $20 Million In Career Training Grants Across Texas

TEXAS, October 12 - October 12, 2026 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced 84 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants totaling over $20 million have been awarded to Texas public junior, state, and technical colleges; school districts; and open-enrollment charter schools.

The JET grants, awarded through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), will help schools buy equipment to start or improve career and technical education (CTE) training programs that lead to high-demand careers. In the first year alone, the new equipment will help train more than 7,400 students.

“Students deserve a clear and affordable path to high-paying careers,” said Governor Abbott. “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 skilled workforce is essential to the success of Texas businesses and the strength of our economy,” said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza. “With more than $20 million in funding for career and technical education programs, TWC is investing the skills young Texans need to build their careers and ensure employers have the talent pipeline they need to thrive.”

The 2026 JET grants will be used to purchase and install equipment at the following public junior, technical, and state colleges:

• Alamo College (Northwest Vista College): a $375,000 grant to train 300 students as data scientists.
• Angelina Jr College District: a $305,116 grant to train 100 students as registered nurses.
• Brazosport College: a $222,509 grant to train 80 students as registered nurses.
• Coastal Bend College: a $350,987 grant to train 38 students as radiologic technologists and technicians.
• College of the Mainland: a $355,686 grant to train 146 students as registered nurses.
• Collin College: a $346,697 grant to train 120 students as welders.
• El Paso County Community College District: a $283,385 grant to train 12 students as electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians.
• Galveston College: a $293,886 grant to train 320 students as welders.
• Grayson College: a $375,000 grant to train 75 students as HVAC mechanics and installers.
• Lamar State College Orange: a $97,026 grant to train 80 students as emergency medical technicians.
• Lamar State College Port Arthur: a $141,907 grant to train 10 students as welders.
• Lee College: a $97,964 grant to train 15 students as engineering technologists and technicians.
• Lone Star College: a $49,667 grant to train 120 students as engineering technologists and technicians.
• Midland College: a $319,043 grant to train 420 students as automotive service technicians and mechanics.
• Navarro College: a $361,209 grant to train 30 students as industrial machinery mechanics.
• North Central Texas College: a $317,136 grant to train 25 students as electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians.
• Paris Junior College: a $362,697 grant to train 40 students as HVAC mechanics and installers.
• San Jacinto Community College: a $130,643 grant to train 83 students as captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.
• South Texas College: a $216,293 grant to train 200 students as licensed practical and vocational nurses.
• Southwest Texas College: a $311,125 grant to train 36 students as aircraft mechanics and service technicians.
• Tarrant County College District: a $55,673 grant to train 140 students as welders.
• Temple College: a $354,112 grant to train 38 students as diagnostic medical sonographers.
• Texas State Technical College: a $339,480 grant to train 254 students as automotive service technicians and mechanics.
• Vernon College: a $295,447 grant to train 94 students as registered nurses.
• Weatherford College: a $66,500 grant to train 24 students as engineering technologists and technicians.
• Western Texas College: a $192,500 grant to train 30 students as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
• Wharton County Junior College: a $329,091 grant to train 35 students as HVAC mechanics and installers.

JET grants awarded in 2026 will also be used to purchase and install equipment at the following Texas school districts and open-enrollment charter schools:

• Agua Dulce Independent School District (ISD): a $195,823 grant to train 20 students as petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in partnership with Del Mar College.
• Anahuac ISD: a $356,250 grant to train 100 students as health technologists and technicians in partnership with Lee College.
• Archer City ISD: a $76,617 grant to train 5 students as medical assistants in partnership with Vernon College.
• Austin ISD: a $209,288 grant to train 15 students as HVAC mechanics and installers in partnership with Austin Community College.
• Benavides ISD: a $155,056 grant to train 23 students as electricians in partnership with Del Mar College.
• Blooming Grove ISD: a $168,084 grant to train 88 students as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in partnership with Navarro College.
• Blue Ridge ISD: a $346,185 grant to train 135 students as welders in partnership with Collin College.
• Booker ISD: a $356,112 grant to train 42 students as registered nurses in partnership with Frank Phillips College.
• Brownsboro ISD: a $353,699 grant to train 75 students as electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in partnership with Trinity Valley Community College.
• Carrizo Springs Consolidated Independent School District (CISD): a $355,991 grant to train 150 students as registered nurses in partnership with Southwest Texas College.
• Celeste ISD: a $322,736 grant to train 49 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.
• Chester ISD: a $59,123 grant to train 111 students as machinists in partnership with Lamar State College Orange (LSCO).
• Como-Pickton CISD: a $350,467 grant to train 60 students as welders in partnership with Northeast Texas Community College.
• Dawson ISD: a $200,207 grant to train 40 students as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in partnership with Navarro College.
• Dilley ISD: a $270,696 grant to train 30 students as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in partnership with Southwest Texas College.
• Early ISD: a $145,870 grant to train 176 students as medical assistants in partnership with Ranger College.
• Fannindel ISD: a $134,714 grant to train 30 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.
• Fayetteville ISD: a $355,176 grant to train 40 students as welders in partnership with Blinn College District.
• Florence ISD: a $328,799 grant to train 70 students as registered nurses in partnership with Central Texas College.
• Freer ISD: a $237,077 grant to train 175 students as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in partnership with Del Mar College.
• Garrison ISD: a $342,190 grant to train 64 students as welders in partnership with Panola College.
• Grandview ISD: a $211,323 grant to train 88 students as registered nurses in partnership with Hill College.
• Gunter ISD: a $367,490 grant to train 20 students as welders in partnership with Grayson College.
• Harmony Public Schools Central Texas: a $317,870 grant to train 250 students as electro-mechanical/mechatronics technicians in partnership with Austin Community College.
• Harmony Public Schools North Texas: a $185,297 grant to train 100 students as industrial engineers in partnership with Dallas College.
• Hooks ISD: a $345,548 grant to train 50 students as registered nurses in partnership with Texarkana College.
• Krum ISD: a $92,959 grant to train 147 students as registered nurses in partnership with North Central Texas College.
• La Joya ISD: a $353,686 grant to train 30 students as HVAC mechanics and installers in partnership with South Texas College.
• Lasara ISD: a $321,328 grant to train 80 students as HVAC mechanics and installers in partnership with Texas Southmost College.
• Leggett ISD: a $166,277 grant to train 40 students as food service managers in partnership with Lamar State College Orange.
• Lindale ISD: a $229,240 grant to train 301 students as registered nurses in partnership with Tyler Junior College.
• Livingston ISD: a $255,955 grant to train 120 students as welders in partnership with Lamar Institute of Technology.
• Lubbock-Cooper ISD: a $200,545 grant to train 170 students as HVAC mechanics and installers in partnership with South Plains College.
• Marshall ISD: a $306,403 grant to train 75 students as computer numerically controlled tool programmers in partnership with Texas State Technical College.
• Mercedes ISD: a $272,556 grant to train 14 students as HVAC mechanics and installers in partnership with South Texas College.
• Paducah ISD: a $320,234 grant to train 35 students as first-line supervisors of production and operating workers in partnership with South Plains College.
• Paradise ISD: a $256,675 grant to train 60 students as registered nurses in partnership with Weatherford College.
• Petrolia CISD: a $128,370 grant to train 60 students as welders in partnership with Vernon College.
• Raymondville ISD: a $198,973 grant to train 50 students as registered nurses in partnership with Texas Southmost College.
• Rice ISD: a $67,352 grant to train 105 students as welders in partnership with Navarro College.
• Roby CISD: a $355,583 grant to train 52 students as welders in partnership with Cisco College.
• Rockdale ISD: a $278,064 grant to train 100 students as nursing assistants, including patient care technician and certified nurse aide in partnership with Temple College.
• Rogers ISD: a $163,784 grant to train 26 students as medical assistants in partnership with Temple College.
• Sabinal ISD: a $297,298 grant to train 30 students as registered nurses in partnership with Southwest Texas College.
• San Diego ISD: a $175,275 grant to train 15 students as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in partnership with Coastal Bend College.
• Santa Gertrudis ISD: a $88,136 grant to train 26 students as medical assistants in partnership with Del Mar College.
• Somerset ISD: a $271,225 grant to train 140 students as welders in partnership with St. Philips College.
• Sulphur Bluff ISD: a $258,613 grant to train 79 students as welders in partnership with Paris Junior College.
• Troup ISD: a $346,280 grant to train 50 students as medical assistants in partnership with Tyler Junior College.
• Tyler ISD: a $186,830 grant to train 50 students as electricians in partnership with Tyler Junior College.
• Waskom ISD: a $81,106 grant to train 66 students as medical assistants in partnership with Panola College.
• Weatherford ISD: a $205,608 grant to train 458 students as health technologists and technicians in partnership with Weatherford College.
• Weimar ISD: a $155,562 grant to train 100 students as welders in partnership with Blinn College.
• West Rusk County CISD: a $193,398 grant to train 16 students as welders in partnership with Kilgore College.
• Windham School District - Plane: a $351,792 grant to train 66 students as industrial machinery mechanics.
• Woodson ISD: a $80,496 grant to train 15 students as software developers in partnership with Cisco College.
• Zapata County ISD: a $348,037 grant to train 50 students as registered nurses in partnership with Laredo College.

Through funding provided by the Texas Legislature, TWC uses JET grants to defray start-up costs to develop career and technical education programs for eligible applicants. Equipment funded through JET grants must be used to train students for jobs in high-demand occupations.

TWC will release the 2027 JET grant Request For Applications (RFA) later this fall. Texas public junior, state, and technical colleges, school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), and Probation Departments may apply.

Once posted, the complete JET application packet can be downloaded from the TWC Procurement Portal website. To receive notifications about this and other procurement opportunities, interested parties can subscribe through Granicus Communications. Learn more about TWC’s JET grant program.