Blue Bell Partners with Blinn College for $175,725 Job-Training Grant

AUSTIN – Blue Bell Creameries has partnered with Blinn College in Brenham to provide job training using a $175,725 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The grant will be used to custom train workers for 867 new or upgraded jobs. Upon completion of training, workers will fill positions such as food batch makers, packagers and sales representatives. They will receive an average hourly wage of $15.28.

“The training programs taking place using this grant will build competent skills,” said TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar. “The number of Texans working in these jobs earning good wages will be a great economic boost for the Brazos Valley area.”

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, Skills Development Fund grants created or upgraded 19,689 jobs, which paid an average hourly wage of $24.29. These grants assisted 148 Texas employers with their customized training needs. The Legislature has appropriated $50 million to the Skills Development Fund for the 2008-09 biennium. Employers seeking more information about the Skills Development Fund may visit the TWC Web site at HYPERLINK "http:// www.twc.state.tx.us/" http:// www.twc.state.tx.us/ svcs/ funds/sdfintro.html.

Blinn College contact: Dr. Milton Radke at (979) 209-7379 or mradke@blinn.