Governor Greg Abbott announced a series of agency directives to strengthen workforce development and help more Texans access high-demand, high-paying jobs in the trades and other critical industries.
Governor Abbott is directing the following:
Texas Education Agency
- Recruit more skilled trades professionals to teach high school Career and Technical Education courses by expanding local teaching permits and issuing clear guidance for school districts.
- Update the list of approved industry certifications to better align with current workforce needs and high-demand jobs.
- Bring hands-on “try the trades” experiences to rural and small school districts through expanded mobile STEM labs.
- Expand the Texas Regional Pathways Network statewide to increase access to workforce dual credit for high school students.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- Promote careers in the trades and other high-demand fields that do not require a bachelor’s degree through a new “You Go to College for That” campaign on the My Texas Future platform.
- Add practical, self-paced career advising training for K-12 counselors and postsecondary advisors focused on high-demand jobs.
- Launch new community college dashboards that give campus leaders better data on credentials of value and high-demand programs to boost student enrollment.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Review age requirements to safely expand opportunities for younger Texans to enter apprenticeships, CTE programs, and licensed trades earlier.
- Waive renewal fees and reduce continuing education requirements for more than 20,000 CTE instructors, encouraging more skilled professionals to teach multitudes more licensed tradesmen.
- Allow rigorous training experiences to count toward on-the-job experience requirements for faster paths to licensure while maintaining high standards.
- Expand onsite and remote licensing exam options so Texans can move more quickly from training into licensed careers.
Texas Workforce Commission
- Expand apprenticeship opportunities by identifying new apprenticeable occupations across Texas industries.
- Create a one-stop online hub so Texans can easily access all state career planning resources in one place.
- Develop unified career pathways for Texans facing barriers to employment, including veterans, foster youth, and people with disabilities.
- Launch digital Learning and Employment Records through the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative to streamline connections between employers and jobseekers.
