The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) estimates there are over 433,000 small businesses in the state, but many have struggled to retain and recruit qualified employees. To help address this need, TWC awarded Lone Star College a $30,000 Skills for Small Business grant to help bolster the small business sector in the greater Houston area through specialized training programs.
“Lone Star College offers a variety of programs for small business owners to grow their operations and develop their employees’ skills to ensure the health and longevity of their companies,” said Kay Fitzsimons, LSC executive director, Leadership and Economic Development. “Lone Star College hopes that offering these training programs will increase the amount of qualified personnel and facilities to help build stronger communities.”
The TWC Skills for Small Business grant is for companies with 99 or fewer workers. TWC has divided the $30,000 grant into two funds: $10,000 (federal money) to help area child care facilities and $20,000 for any other small business seeking to retrain and recruit employees. Partnering companies can select the training courses at LSC for their employees to enhance their operations.
“Lone Star College has the dedicated staff to help businesses with the application process and find the right classes to ensure they remain compliant with the Texas Workforce Commission training requirements,” said Fitzsimons.
The TWC Skills for Small Business program will cover up to $1,800 for each new employee and $900 per current employee in a 12-month period. This project is financed with $10,000 (31.7% of the total costs) of federal money, with 0% of the total costs financed by nongovernmental sources. Learn more at TWC.Texas.gov/Programs/Skills-Small-Business or by emailing the LSC Leadership and Economic Development department at LED@LoneStar.edu.
Lone Star College offers designated grants (federal, state and workforce) to help students pay for their college education. Visit LoneStar.edu/fa-grants for more information on those resources.
Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Mario K. Castillo, J.D., serves as Chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2023 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.