Overview
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' business community—our small employers. Small businesses can apply to TWC for training offered by their local community or technical college, or the Texas A&M 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 supports businesses with fewer than 100 employees and emphasizes training for new workers though it also may help upgrade the skills of incumbent workers.
- Skills for Small Business emphasizes training newly hired employees, those who have been hired by the business up to twelve months prior to the date that TWC receives an application.
- The program pays up to $1,800 for each new employee being trained and $900 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 A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). No third-party vendor training is allowed.
- Training must be selected from active course catalogs/schedules— credit, continuing education, online or other available unpublished courses.
- Employers must pay the prevailing wages in the local labor market for the trainees funded under the grant.
How to Apply
- Identify new or incumbent employees to be trained.
- Identify each employee’s job/occupational title and corresponding Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code. Employers may use the Texas AutoCoder to find the best match between job titles/descriptions and SOC-coded occupations.
- Identify employee's wages. Wages must meet or exceed prevailing wage for the area where the business is located.
- Identify the two-year public community or technical college nearest your location using the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s College Locator.
- Apply online in the upper right hand corner.
- View the Skills for Small Business FAQ
for additional information on completing and submitting applications to TWC .
For assistance, contact TWC's Workforce Business Services staff at 877-463-1777 or SkillsforSmallBusiness@twc.texas.gov.
Governor's Small Business Summit
The Governor's Small Business Summit aims to help Texas small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs reach new heights by connecting them with the resources and information needed to start, strengthen and grow a business. This event offers a variety of sessions bringing together local, state and federal resource partners to provide key insights on critical business topics. It's also an opportunity to network with other business owners and meet experts who will share timely, relevant and actionable advice on a multitude of small business subjects.
More at gov.texas.gov/events.
Forms
Apply Online
Service
TWC Workforce Business Services Outreach & Customer Support Team
- Call: 877-463-1777
- Email: SkillsforSmallBusiness@twc.texas.gov
