Texas Border Business
AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott announced a series of agency directives to strengthen workforce development and help more Texans access high-demand, high-paying jobs in the trades and other critical industries. State agencies will take immediate action to strengthen Texas’ workforce development system and ensure Texans are prepared to fill the state’s growing number of jobs in these high-demand fields. The Governor announced these directives, which are based on recommendations made by the Texas Jobs Council, during a press conference at the Governor’s Mansion.
“The demand for a high-skilled workforce has never been greater,” said Governor Abbott. “I tasked the Texas Jobs Council with developing recommendations that could be implemented immediately through either executive or agency action to make sure we have the best trained workforce in the United States. Based on those recommendations, I am directing four state agencies to take immediate action.”
Governor Abbott created the Texas Jobs Council in March to develop legislative recommendations and actionable items that can be implemented immediately through executive or agency authority. The council worked with the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to develop a series of recommendations.
Based on those recommendations, Governor Abbott is directing the following:
Texas Workforce Commission
- Expand apprenticeship opportunities by identifying new apprenticeable occupations across Texas industries.
- Create a one-stop online hub so Texans can easily access all state career planning resources in one place.
- Develop unified career pathways for Texans facing barriers to employment, including veterans, foster youth, and people with disabilities.
- Launch digital Learning and Employment Records through the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative to streamline connections between employers and jobseekers.
Texas Education Agency
- Recruit more skilled trades professionals to teach high school Career and Technical Education courses by expanding local teaching permits and issuing clear guidance for school districts.
- Update the list of approved industry certifications to better align with current workforce needs and high-demand jobs.
- Bring hands-on “try the trades” experiences to rural and small school districts through expanded mobile STEM labs.
- Expand the Texas Regional Pathways Network statewide to increase access to workforce dual credit for high school students.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- Promote careers in the trades and other high-demand fields that do not require a bachelor’s degree through a new “You Go to College for That” campaign on the My Texas Future platform.
- Add practical, self-paced career advising training for K-12 counselors and postsecondary advisors focused on high-demand jobs.
- Launch new community college dashboards that give campus leaders better data on credentials of value and high-demand programs to boost student enrollment.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Review age requirements to safely expand opportunities for younger Texans to enter apprenticeships, CTE programs, and licensed trades earlier.
- Waive renewal fees and reduce continuing education requirements for more than 20,000 CTE instructors, encouraging more skilled professionals to teach multitudes more licensed tradesmen.
- Allow rigorous training experiences to count toward on-the-job experience requirements for faster paths to licensure while maintaining high standards.
- Expand onsite and remote licensing exam options so Texans can move more quickly from training into licensed careers.
These immediate actions demonstrate Texas’ commitment to opportunity, economic growth and ensuring every Texan succeeds in the state’s booming economy.
The Governor was joined at the announcement by Texas Jobs Council co-chair Megan Mauro, interim president of the Texas Association of Business, and Council co-chair Brent Taylor, Southern Region vice president of the Teamsters, along with other business and labor leaders and state officials.
The council will reconvene this fall to develop legislative recommendations for the 90th Legislature. A final report is expected in November 2026.
