Centara Building Technologies & Blinn College Awarded Job-Training Grant

AUSTIN − The Brazos Valley area workforce will benefit from a $221529 job-training grant that the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers. Centara Building Technologies of Navasota has partnered with Blinn College to train workers constructing modular buildings.

The grant will be used to create or upgrade 148 jobs for electricians plumbers certified welders flooring and siding installers framers painters sheet rock finishers and industrial maintenance workers among others.  Upon completion of training workers will earn an average hourly wage of $12.13. 

“Skills training and job creation help strengthen the economic foundation of Texas” state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst said. “Many Texas workers will benefit from this collaboration between Centara Building Technologies Blinn College and TWC exemplifying the effectiveness and success of the Skills Development Fund program.”

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Skills Development Fund grants created or upgraded 14090 jobs which paid an average hourly wage of $19.22. The FY 2006 grants assisted 125 Texas employers with their customized training needs. The Legislature has appropriated $40.5 million to the Skills Development Fund for the 2006-07 biennium.

“This Skills Development Fund grant provides a great opportunity for workers and gives Centara Building Technologies a skilled labor force” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “Thanks to the Governor and the Legislature TWC makes these grants available each year assisting thousands of Texans to improve their quality of life.”

Employers seeking more information about the Skills Development Fund may visit the TWC Web site at www.texasworkforce.org.

Blinn College contact: Dr. Milton Radke grants director at (979) 209-7379 or mradke@blinn.edu

The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in unison with its network of local workforce development boards call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.