A recent analysis released by the Associated General Contractors of America found Texas added more construction jobs than any other state in the last year. In West Texas, data centers have been some of the most predominant development projects, but the long-term jobs that come with these facilities often require trained laborers, which Texas has been lacking.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched the Texas Jobs Council in March, an advisory board intended to strengthen the state’s workforce.
On Tuesday, Abbott and members of the Texas Jobs Council toured the Automotive Technology and Welding Facility on the South Plains College campus in Levelland, a specialized center where students can earn technical certifications that the governor hopes will address a shortage of skilled labor in the state.
“If you just look in certain parts of the state of Texas, the demand for welders, the demand for electricians, are two easy examples where we need to be cranking out thousands of these degree and certifications every single year,” Abbott said.
Enter Texas’ community colleges, like South Plains College, which opened a downtown Lubbock campus in 2022, down the street from the school’s Career and Technical Education Center. South Plains College President Robin Satterwhite said this is part of the college’s partnerships with West Texas industries, high schools and universities to address the need for skilled jobs.
“We have 74 different career and technical education programs, and they're linked directly to a job, and these are full,” Satterwhite said. “These students will help meet the workforce needs of the industries that we serve.”
Ray Martinez, the president and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, toured the SPC facility with Abbott. Martinez said Texas Community Colleges serve over 90% of all career and technical education credentials that are conferred each year.
“There are approximately 2.6 million Texans with some college credits but no credentials. They started, they didn't finish,” Martinez said. “And those aren't just numbers. That is a workforce waiting to be activated.”
It’s not just colleges – in 2025, the Texas Legislature approved a series of new programs in HB20 and HB120 to incentivize school districts to begin training plumbers, welders, electricians, and others.
The bills provided funding for public school districts for new career and technical education facilities and equipment, and school districts across the state are taking advantage of the opportunity. Texarkana ISD opened its $59 million Career Technical Education Innovation Center in March, and Houston ISD expects to open the Barbara Jordan Career Facility next year.
The Texas Jobs Council is expected to release a report in November outlining further recommendations for lawmakers ahead of the 90th Legislative Session next year.