TWC Awards $2.4 Million for High-Tech Youth Career Initiatives

May 21, 2009

AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has awarded 11 grants totaling $2.4 million for the Texas Youth in Technology (TYT) Strategic Workforce Development initiative. Supported with federal Workforce Investment Act Statewide Activity Funds, the workforce development strategy supports  job-growth opportunities that align with Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas Industry Cluster Initiative.
 
“Educating our youth in advanced skills is one of the greatest tools we have to continue positioning Texas as a national and global economic leader,” said Gov. Rick Perry. “Through support from the Texas Workforce Commission, these initiatives provide the foundation for future high-tech workforce success.” 
 
TYT and resulting projects will establish programs to increase postsecondary enrollments, retention and graduates in engineering and computer science. Working with the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium (TETC), the grant program also will increase collaboration among Texas employers, institutions of higher education, and collegiate engineering and science departments.
 
“A diverse workforce, skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is critical to the future economic success and competitiveness of Texas,” said Arturo Sanchez III, TETC chair and Texas Instruments manager of Workforce Development.
 
The 11 grant recipients include:

• Prairie View A&M University, $312,137 – to increase the freshman retention rate and enrollment in the university’s electrical and computer engineering programs; provide workshops to high school teachers and counselors, and tutoring to high school students; and award scholarships to qualifying students who intend to study engineering.
 
• Richland College (Dallas County Community College District), $48,256 – to hire an academic adviser to mentor students studying for associate’s degrees in engineering or computer science, helping to ensure they earn the degrees and transfer to the university level; scholarships to cover the cost of tuition and books for engineering and computer science courses; and faculty mentoring of students.
 
• Sam Houston State University, $178,386 – to develop workshops for teachers and counselors; to establish a mentor program for current students, as well as programs targeted to junior high school students, high school teachers and counselors to promote the advantages of a technology-oriented degree; and financial assistance for incoming technology students.
  
• San Jacinto College, $230,984 – to increase postsecondary enrollment and retention by implementing a year-long Careers in Technology Impact Program Ambassador Program for high school students that includes participation in a NASA summer camp, and NASA industry career investigation and exploration.
 
• Southern Methodist University, $211,155 – to coordinate summer workshops, including Webinars, and study programs for teachers and counselors to increase knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, increasing recruitment of engineering and science students.
 
• Texas Tech University, $241,449 – to sponsor a student design contest for a real-world engineering concept. The project includes scholarships for community college students enrolled introductory distance education engineering courses, engineering outreach through portable laboratories and a peer mentor program.
 
• The University of Texas at Arlington, $272,162 – to forge collaborations that increase graduations in STEM fields; provide scholarships for sophomores and junior transfer engineering students; and create women in engineering mentoring and retention activities.
 
• The University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering, $221,841 – to increase postsecondary enrollments, retention, and the number of engineering and computer science graduates through a women’s outreach program. This will provide scholarships, on-campus jobs, and stipends to teachers to attend workshops and forums.
 
• The University of Texas at Dallas, $242,000 – to increase engineering and computer science enrollments, retention and graduates. This will be accomplished through scholarships for targeted populations among existing freshmen and new students, peer and industry leader mentoring, and summer programs to attract and retain students from targeted populations.
 
• University of Houston, $300,000 – to create a recruiting plan for high school students from targeted populations to promote careers in engineering; to establish peer mentoring for incoming freshmen and transfer engineering students; and to develop mentoring first-generation undergraduate engineering students.
 
• University of North Texas, $152,393 – to recruit and retain targeted populations to computer and engineering programs; to provide scholarships for students who previously attended summer computer science robotics camps and intend to study computer science and engineering at the university; and to provide workshops for high school teachers and counselors.
 
 
The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the programs it offers in unison with its network of local workforce development boards, call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.