Texas Awards $2.4 Million to Train Rural Healthcare Workers in Permian Basin

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that the Skills Development Fund has awarded a $2.42 million grant to Workforce Solutions Permian Basin to provide healthcare workforce training across rural West Texas.

The $2,416,902 grant will fund customized training for 1,486 new and current employees at 18 rural hospitals and one urgent care center. Workers will receive training for high-demand healthcare occupations, including registered nurses, physical therapists and radiology technicians, through partnerships with seven colleges.

“Our state is proud to partner with healthcare providers and colleges across Texas to strengthen our rural healthcare workforce and meet the needs of our growing state,” Abbott said. “These critical grants will allow workers to receive training for high-demand healthcare careers to ensure Texans have access to lifesaving care when it matters most.”

Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Joe Esparza said the partnership will help improve healthcare access as rural communities continue to grow.

“This Skills Development Fund grant is elevating the quality of healthcare for many communities as they grow and their needs evolve,” Esparza said. “The expansive partnership involving Workforce Solutions Permian Basin, 19 healthcare facilities, and seven educational institutions is a prime example of how working in sync can improve the lives of Texans for generations to come.”

Esparza presented the grant Tuesday during a ceremony at Odessa College attended by representatives from Workforce Solutions Permian Basin, partner colleges and local organizations.

The Skills Development Fund is the state's workforce training grant program, providing customized training for new and current employees through partnerships with community colleges, technical colleges, workforce development boards and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

Since the program began in 1996, the Skills Development Fund has partnered with more than 5,000 employers to provide workforce training supporting more than 446,000 jobs across Texas.