Texas Workforce Commission Awards Grants to Support Adult Education and Literacy

The Texas Workforce Commission, the state agency designed to oversee and provide workforce development programs, has awarded three grants totaling $4.25 million to support adult education and literacy. The goal of these grant funds is to help workers in Texas gain the skills they need.

The Three Grants

• Texas A&M received $2.5 million to provide professional development strategies and technical assistance to Adult Education and Literacy providers. These funds will help AEL providers and stakeholders to provide comprehensive services to AEL students. These programs help participants gain functional English literacy and numeracy skills. The center at Texas A&M also helps to increase employment and career readiness skills, obtain high-school equivalent and post-secondary certifications.
• Region 6 Education Service Center received $750,000 in grant funds to provide research-based professional development to AEL providers and stakeholders on AEL career-pathway models.
• Texas A&M received a second grant for $1 million to build remote learning and distance education opportunities across Texas.

“Texas is hiring, and it’s never too late to develop skills that can lead to a rewarding career,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez III. “The Adult Education and Literacy Professional Development Center Grants are one of many ways that the Texas Workforce Commission is committed to helping job seekers with customized training to get the skills they need that ultimately lead to an incredibly skilled workforce.”

How Adult Education and Literacy Can Benefit Texas

Among adults, the ability to read, write and understand basic math are important factors in both education and employment. Literate people increase their chances for improved employment through an industry-level certificate or college education. In Texas, a state with the fourth-lowest literacy rate in the United States, programs like this are crucial.

Literacy Texas, a statewide literacy coalition, said almost half of the people with low levels of literacy live in poverty. In the next decade or so, the Texas labor force will need 60% of 25-34-year-old workers to maintain industry certification or a college education.

GrantNews Notes

These types of grants can help potential employees, and ensure a qualifed workforce is prepared for the challenges ahead. Therefore, workforce development and education grants are critical to funding initiatives like this. We have featured categories over at GrantWatch for Workforce and Education-related grants. Sign up for a paid GrantWatch subscription to gain access to all of our resources for grant seekers.