WSTC awarded $350,000 for second year of Texas Talent Connection Grant
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Lacey Douglas, Workforce Solutions
Phone: 817.823.0533 / Email: [email protected]
WSTC awarded $350,000 for second year of Texas Talent Connection Grant
TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (July 2, 2025) – Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (WSTC) has been awarded $350,000 for year two of the Neighborhood Initiative Strategy (NIS) project. Governor Greg Abbott announced over $7.3 million in Texas Talent Connection grants awarded to 22 innovative workforce skills training and job placement programs in communities across the state.
NIS is designed to effectively bring WSTC services directly to the “most in need” through partnerships with trusted organizations imbedded within our communities. Using criteria developed to target underserved communities with a high potential for employment and career pathway success, WSTC determined that Northside Community Center and the MLK Community Center in partnership with the City of Fort Worth would be the sites of the first two pilot projects. The grant will expand the work our staff has done at these locations, services at the MLK Community Center will be combined with the William M. McDonald YMCA which is 3 miles southeast allowing our reach to cover more of the Stop Six/Polytechnic (Poly) district.
Our goal with this project is to use sector strategies which include work-based opportunities including apprenticeships, skills-based job postings & resume development, employer recruitment, a unique neighborhood outreach & service strategy to improve the economic conditions in these & eventually additional areas of Tarrant County, implement the Rework America strategy of promoting skills over credentials & meet employer needs for skilled labor.
“We are honored to receive a second year of funding through the Texas Talent Connection Grant for our Neighborhood Initiative Strategies project. This continued support allows WSTC to expand our efforts in the North and Southeast side of Fort Worth, connecting residents to meaningful training and career opportunities, right in the communities where they live. We are especially proud that a portion of this funding will allow us to provide much needed support for essential child care services in the designated areas. Together, we are building stronger neighborhoods and a stronger workforce for Tarrant County,” said Robert Sturns, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.
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About Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (WSTC), under the direction of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), is one of 28 local workforce development boards located throughout the state. WSTC’s primary goal is to meet the needs of Tarrant County employers and workers through locally designed market-driven workforce development initiatives and services. All employers, workers and job seekers are eligible to take advantage of these services. The 29-member Workforce Development Board (WDB) is made up of business and community leaders and is chaired by Tyrone Taylor. The WDB works in partnership with the Workforce Governing Board (WGB), which is composed of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and chaired by Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, to oversee Workforce services in Tarrant County. More information can be found at www.workforcesolutions.net or by calling 817.413.4000.