Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Natura World USA and WDS have partnered with Vernon College to provide training for a total of 728 new and upgraded positions using two job-training grants totaling $467577 from the Texas Workforce Commissions (TWC) Skills Development Fund.
TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar (second from right) presents one of two checks from the Skills Development Grant fund to Vernon College to provide job training for more than 700 positions. Pictured (from left) are Vernon College President Dr. Dusty Johnston Vernon College Associate Dean of Career and Technical Education Shana Munson Staff Consultant-Natura World USA Amy Higgs Commissioner Alcantar; and state Sen. Craig Estes. Photo courtesy Vernon College
I extend my most sincere congratulations to Vernon College on being awarded with a Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission" said state Sen. Craig Estes. The training and lessons that this program provides to its students will be greatly beneficial to our North Texas businesses and the Vernon community."
The $296361 job-training grant awarded to Natura World USA will create or upgrade 150 positions. Trainees include mattress and pillow production workers as well as sewing machine operators. Upon completion of training workers will earn an average hourly wage of $13.98. The $171216 grant awarded to WDS will create 578 new positions. The training is for customer service representatives supervisors and managers to effectively serve telecommunications customers improve productivity and maximize business retention. Upon completion of the training workers will receive an average hourly wage of $8.73. -more-
Through these training grants 728 new jobs will be created or upgraded" said TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar. This is a great example of partnership between the private and public sectors to produce good jobs for Texans."
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Skills Development Fund grants created or upgraded 19516 jobs which paid an average hourly wage of $24.44. These grants assisted 170 Texas employers with their customized training needs. The Legislature appropriated $90 million to the Skills Development Fund for the 2010-11 biennium. Employers seeking more information about the Skills Development Fund may visit the TWC website at
http://skills.texasworkforce.org.
