WTC Receives $100,000 Grant to Provide Training for Local Businesses
SNYDER— The Texas Workforce Commission awarded Western Texas College (WTC) a second Skills Development Fund Special Initiative Grant for $100,000. The grant provides workforce training to local businesses at little or no cost. WTC renewed the grant after successfully distributing $50,000 from their first award. The funding can now be used for part-time employees in addition to full-time employees.
“I am so pleased to be part of a program that is assisting our local businesses and their employees with obtaining required training or upgrading their skills–at little to no cost,” said Margo Mitchell, Director of Workforce Development at WTC’s College on the Square.
The Skills Development Fund COVID-19 Special Initiative was established by Governor Abbott and the Texas Workforce Commission in March 2020. The $10 million dollar fund provided awards from $50,000-$250,000 to local community colleges for rapid deployment workforce training.
“This grant has served the people of Snyder and the surrounding area exactly as Governor Abbott intended,” noted Mitchell. “We are helping businesses grow, retool, and recover while putting people back to work with the skills needed to keep Texas open.”
Businesses that have taken advantage of the grant so far include Carrizo Well Service, CML Exploration, Cogdell Hospital, CS Well Service, Diamond D Slickline Services, Express M Energy, Grimmett Brothers, Kanex Well Service, McDonald Welding, Mesquite Oil Tools, Pima Oilfield Services, Subway Restaurants (Colorado City and Snyder), and T&L Construction.
The grant enabled WTC to provide in-person classes at College on the Square for Industrial Safety Training, CDL Truck Driving, ARC Welding, Covid-19 Food Safety, ServSafe Restaurant Manager certification, State Food Handlers Certification, Intermediate and Advanced Excel, Intermediate Microsoft Word. In addition, WTC contracted with numerous third-party providers for training including Well Control School and Wild Well Control School, Pneumatech Safety, HealthTechS3, and OnTheGo Compliance. Many businesses took advantage of online courses from the WTC2Go catalog.
“It has been very rewarding to work with smaller companies in our area who need this support to continue hiring and growing,” Mitchell added.
“We can find the training your company needs. It may be from a 3rd party provider, one of our instructors, or even a training program in another area. The training possibilities are endless–our team can make it happen, up to $2000/employee.”
Employers and unemployed people interested in applying for training should contact Margo Mitchell at College on the Square, Western Texas College’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education arm.
College on the Square is located at 1806 26th Street in Snyder. Mitchell can be reached at 325-574-6581 or through email at margo.mitchell@wtc.edu.
To read more about the Skills Development Fund Grant, navigate to wtc.edu/sdfgrant.