As our nation recovers from the impacts of the global pandemic, Texas has a historic window of opportunity to strengthen the critical link between education and workforce readiness to improve the lives of more Texans.
The Texas labor market has rebounded and surpassed pre-pandemic job growth and employment levels. Yet many Texans remain either unemployed and under-employed and need to reskill or upskill to rebuild their economic footing.
We are raising the bar for higher education to quickly align strategies and funding to help provide what our state and its people need right now. This is a key focus of our statewide strategic plan for higher education, Building a Talent Strong Texas.
Through emergency funding provided by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds, higher education institutions are expanding offerings of high-value, high demand credentials that help Texans land better jobs with more competitive wages.
The economic opportunities across Texas are unrivaled. Our state has a rich entrepreneurial climate and leads the nation in job creation. Fifty of the nation’s Fortune 500 companies call Texas home. Our work ensures higher education in Texas increases employment opportunities and income for individuals, creates a deeper talent pool for employers, and aligns skills with the jobs the workforce demands.