Big News for Small Businesses!
Through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Skills for Small Business program, up to $2 million from the Skills Development Fund is dedicated to the backbone of Texas's business community - our small employers. Small businesses now can apply to TWC for training offered by their local community or technical college, or the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). TWC processes the applications and works with the college to fund the specific courses selected by businesses for their employees.
This exceptional opportunity is in conjunction with the Governor's Small Business Forums. It supports businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and emphasizes training for new workers. It has the additional ability to upgrade the skills of incumbent works.
About the Program
- Emphasizes training newly hired employees - those who have been hired by the business up to three months prior to the date that TWC receives an application.
- The program pays up to $1,450 for each new employee being trained and $725 for existing employees per 12-month period.
- Funding for training is for full-time employees.
- All training must be provided by a public community or technical college, or the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). No third-party vendor training is allowed.
- Training must be selected from active course catalogs/schedules - credit, continuing education, on-line or other available unpublished courses.
- May also emphasize training in occupations targeted by Local Workforce Development Boards.
- Employers must pay the prevailing wages in the local labor market for the trainees funded under the grant.
How to Apply
Businesses:
- Identify new or incumbent employees to be trained.
- Identify each employee's job/occupation title and corresponding Standard Occupational Classification Code.
- Identify employee's wages. Wages must meet prevailing wage for the area where the business is located.
- Identify the 2-year Public Community or Technical College nearest the business' location.
- Select training course(s) from the regular credit, continuing education and/or on-line course catalogs (PDF).
- Determine the business' targeted occupation. Skills for Small Business emphasizes training in occupations targeted by the local workforce board. To identify your local workforce board, please visit the state map showing all local workforce boards. Once you know your workforce board, review the board's list of targeted occupations.
- Complete and submit application directly to TWC. E-mail application to SkillsForSmallBusiness@twc.state.tx.us or fax to (512) 463-7187.
For assistance, contact TWC Workforce Business Services staff at (877) 463-1777 or e-mail Skills@twc.state.tx.us.
Back to Top
Connect through your Governor's Small Business Forum
The Office of the Governor and TWC present 20 Governor's Small Business Forums statewide. The collaboration provides local employers not only with information about the Skills for Small Business program, but also immediate access to the program's team of experts: their local college, TWC project developers and local workforce board leaders. Interested businesses will work with a TWC project development specialist to complete applications during the forum. Governor's Small Business Forums also showcase local workforce board services, such as recruiting and hiring assistance, business development strategies, business tax credit information and labor market information.
For more information visit Texas Small Business Forums.
Back to TopResources
- Overview and Application Instructions for Skills for Small Business Application (PDF)
- Skills for Small Business Application: Skills for Small Business Application Word or Skills for Small Business Application PDF
- Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
- Skills Development Fund
- Skills for Veterans Initiative
- The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Community College map
- Small Business Development Centers in Texas
- Connect with your Local Workforce Development Board
- TWC Labor Market and Career Information, for local workforce data
We're Here for You
Please contact Dale A. Robertson, Manager, Workforce Business Services Outreach and Customer Support toll-free at (877) 463-1777, and the Skills for Small Business project development team at Skills@twc.state.tx.us with questions or comments.