This exploratory study analyzed disconnects that contribute to preventing water management organizations from offering vocational courses to southeast Texas school district students. Opportunities offered through legislative support and community services give school districts access to resources and training to prepare students for careers in the…

Conferred by businesses, industry groups, and state certifying entities, industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) are intended to signal that students have mastered specific workplace knowledge and skills. This first-of-its-kind study assesses the impact of specific IRCs earned in high school on various employment and postsecondary outcomes for…

Adults who are out of work typically have low levels of education and limited work experience. In response, there has been an increased interest among leaders from the higher education and business communities to expand "earn and learn" opportunities that connect people to both postsecondary education and a career. Apprenticeships are a…

In late 2020, Texas community and technical colleges participated in a national study of community college workforce education. Texas was one of 14 states where education authorities volunteered to encourage colleges to respond early enough in 2020 to receive preliminary statewide results in January 2021. This brief compares Texas to the 14 states…

The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) is committed to aligning education and the workforce to create the talent and capacity for innovation necessary to keep regions, states, and the nation economically competitive. As part of that work, BHEF strives to analyze the factors that contribute to effective business and higher education…

Community colleges are recognized by business and industry as the prime provider of career and technology education. This recognition has been earned by the strong links formed between these entities and the responsiveness of community/junior colleges to workforce needs. An important consideration in maintaining this preferred provider status is…

The Gulf Coast Petrochemical Information Network (GC-PIN) is a workforce development partnership among industry businesses and area institutions of higher education in the four-county Gulf Coast region. GC-PIN partners develop new industry-specific curricula, foster industry career awareness, and retrain existing employees in new technologies.

Addresses the need along the Texas Gulf Coast for industry-driven curricula to be offered by community colleges to prepare the workforce in process technology. Describes the creation of a regional, technology-specific alliance in process technology that included industry, education, and government - the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance…

The organizational and working relationships between postsecondary education and economic development in selected states were investigated, with emphasis on identifying state-level coordinated programs in 12 geographically diverse states known to be active in linking education to economic development (Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana,…

This report presents a process for identifying emerging and significantly evolving occupations within key Texas industries. It explains findings of a research project that provided a current information resource to help job seekers make informed career and training choices. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 examines the projected mismatch…