Governor Greg Abbott has announced that 52 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) training grants, totaling more than $14 million, have been awarded to higher education institutions and independent school districts across Texas. The funding, provided through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), is intended to help public junior, state, and technical colleges as well as school districts and open-enrollment charter schools purchase equipment for career and technical education programs.
The grants are expected to support the training of over 6,500 students for high-demand jobs in industries across the state. Governor Abbott said, “As our economy grows, Texas will continue to invest in the future of our workforce. This over $14 million in career training grants will help more than 6,500 Texas students gain the tools and skills they need to go from graduation directly into good-paying jobs. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission and our education partners for training the next generation of hardworking Texans to be part of the better job and bigger paycheck opportunities that we provide in our great state.”
The grant funds will be used to purchase new equipment for educational programs that enable students to earn licenses, certificates, or college degrees leading to employment in high-demand fields. TWC Chairman Joe Esparza stated, “Through initiatives like the JET grant program, we are preparing our workforce to pioneer innovations and thrive on the cutting edge of industry. These grants strategically target high-growth industries, ensuring workers can find meaningful career opportunities while strengthening Texas’ reputation as the best state for doing business.”
Applications for the 2026 JET grant program are now being accepted by TWC from eligible public colleges, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools.
Among this year’s recipients are Austin Community College with a $331,387 grant for automotive service technician training; Brazosport College with $356,250 for information security analysts; Dallas College with $164,350 for truck driver training; Grayson College with $362,896 for registered nurse education; Paris Junior College with $366,917 for aircraft mechanics; Victoria College with $280,345 for nursing; as well as several others receiving grants ranging from about $100,000 to over $350,000.
Independent school districts also received significant awards. Duncanville ISD was granted $354,915 to train nearly 1,200 nursing assistants; Prosper ISD received $256,500 for over 1,100 nursing assistant trainees; Donna ISD got $337,820 to prepare 310 medical assistants. Other ISDs will use their funds for programs including welding technology and construction management.
Funding is provided each biennium by the Texas Legislature so that TWC can assist educational institutions with start-up costs related to developing career and technical education programs. Equipment purchased through these grants must be used specifically to train students in occupations where there is strong demand statewide.
More information about TWC’s JET grant program can be found at https://twc.texas.gov/programs/jobs-education-texans-jet-grant-program-overview.
