Across the state this fall, 54 community colleges and public technical colleges will receive a total of $2.5 million from Texas Comptroller Susan Combs to use for student scholarships this school year.
The JET (Jobs and Education for Texans) Career and Technical Scholarship Fund provides tuition grants to award scholarships to students enrolled in approved training programs for several high‐demand occupations. Recipient schools offer training programs in engineering technology, welding, precision production, computer support, mechanical and repair technology, construction, health professions and other degree plans where a certificate or an associate degree is a basic prerequisite.
In October 2009, the JET Advisory Board awarded the first round of tuition grants from the scholarship fund, also totaling $2.5 million, to 54 Texas community and technical colleges. In turn, these schools awarded scholarships to 2,028 students. By June 2010, the program disbursed about $1.5 million of that $2.5 million available for scholarships. The recipients, 72 percent of whom were above traditional college age, received an average of $740 each to help build new and better lives.
The JET Career and Technical Scholarship Fund is part of the Comptroller’s Every Chance Funds, a $25 million initiative providing grants and scholarships over the biennium for career and technical education. The program also includes the $10 million Launchpad Fund, which supports and expands existing nonprofit programs with a proven track record of good performance, and the $10 million Job Building Fund, which helps finance equipment purchases for new career and technical education programs that support high-growth industries.
For more information about Every Chance Funds, visit www.everychanceeverytexan.org/funds.