Spring ISD has received more than $175K in grant funding from the Texas Workforce Commission, as a part of the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) program.

The program — which announced this year’s recipients late last month — helps schools and colleges in Texas purchase the equipment needed to train students for high-demand jobs in a variety of fields. 

Spring ISD received a $178,398 grant to help purchase equipment to train 128 students per year in eSports Management as a part of the district’s CTE and STEM classes. The grant was one of only 42 given across the state of Texas.

Collaboration for the grant included innovative leadership from Dr. Quentin Wright, President Lone Star College – Houston North, whose team developed the Business Administration Program: eSports Track. Additional support was provided by SHI International as a committed partner in supporting the district and students in the launch of the eSports Management Pathway. 

In Spring ISD, the funds will be used to launch a new CTE pathway at Westfield High School, which will begin in the 2024-2025 school year. The eSports Management pathway will provide students with hands-on experiences in eSports event planning, game design and development, and business management. Through the completion of the program students will have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree as well as Business Operations and eSports Management Certificates through the partnership with Lone Star College – Houston North. 

“As businesses and companies continue to choose Houston and Texas at large to expand their operations, it is imperative that we find ways to help our students enter the workforce ready to succeed,” said Spring ISD Chief of Innovation & Student Success Dr. Matthew Pariseau. “We have a longstanding tradition of excellence with our STEM and CTE pathways here in Spring ISD, and these grant funds will help us expand these programs and opportunities to even more students.”

Grants are announced every two years by the Texas Workforce Commission. The funds are provided by the Texas Legislature.

“The growing Texas economy has created a greater demand for workers in a range of jobs,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Through the JET grant program, TWC and our partners provide modern equipment to help train the future Texas workforce for these valuable career opportunities.”

For more information on the Texas Workforce Commission’s Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program, visit www.twc.texas.gov/programs/jet.