AUSTIN The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has awarded $15 million in grant funding to Texas higher education institutions through the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Grant Program. The program was established to support the creation, expansion, or redesign of workforce education and training programs in high-demand occupations.
One of the grantees was Odessa College, which will get $185,100, the release said.
“TRUE grants are an important tool to support our Texas institutions in achieving the goals of our state strategic plan for higher education, Building a Talent Strong Texas,” Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller said in a news release. “These grants are specifically designed to help more Texans earn credentials aligned with current and emerging workforce needs and expand opportunities for long-term success.”
These funds enable Texas public community and state technical colleges, as well as economic development organizations, to develop and provide short-term certification and workforce programs, in consultation and partnership with workforce stakeholders, that create pathways to employment.
“The TRUE program will unlock the exceptional potential of Texas’ economic engine, ensuring educational opportunities, and a ready and trained workforce that will meet the needs of our rapidly growing state,” said Senator Brandon Creighton, who authored Senate Bill 1102 that established the TRUE initiative.
Programs supported by TRUE funds must be shorter than six months in duration, industry-aligned, in high-value/high-need fields, and developed with the participation of key workforce stakeholders such as workforce boards, economic development corporations, trade associations, industry representatives, and employers.
