The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded Navarro College a Skills Development Fund grant of $212,520 to provide customized training for 72 workers at Leggett & Platt Inc., Gov. Greg Abbott and the agency announced Aug. 20.
The training will prepare new and current employees for high-demand careers in industrial electricity and manufacturing, according to the commission’s news release. State officials framed the award as an example of how employers can use public resources to build the skilled workforce their growth plans require.
“Texas is leading the nation in growth, and it is critical that we maintain a strong, skilled workforce to meet the needs of our booming state,” Abbott said in the release. “This grant will provide customized training to develop the skills needed to fill high-demand jobs in growing fields to build a more prosperous Texas.”
TWC Chairman Joe Esparza pointed to regional projections, saying in the release that manufacturing jobs in the North Central Texas region are expected to grow by 7 percent by 2034. “This Skills Development Grant award of $212,000 to Navarro College and Leggett & Platt serves as a prime example of how businesses can use TWC resources to create customized training and prepare for their future growth,” Esparza said.
The commission said TWC Chief Deputy Director of Workforce Development Mahalia Baldini presented the award earlier that day during a ceremony at Navarro College in Corsicana, attended by representatives of the college, Leggett & Platt and other local partners.
The Skills Development Fund is the state’s workforce training grant program, delivered in partnership with public community and technical colleges, workforce development boards and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. According to the commission, the program has worked with more than 5,000 employers and has supported the upgrade or creation of over 446,000 jobs across Texas since it began in 1996.