AUSTIN, Texas—Skillpoint Alliance—a Central Texas 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides fast-paced, no-cost job training in the skilled trades to lower-income, underserved and under-accessed populations—announced today that the organization was selected to receive funding through Texas Mutual Insurance Company’s Request for Proposal initiative.
Texas Mutual has awarded more than $3.5 million to 48 organizations in the effort to support their workforce development and safety training programs. These grants are part of the company’s larger commitment of $7 million in RFP grant funding to nonprofits across the state in two categories—generational learning to support working families, and workforce development and safety training.
Skillpoint Alliance will receive a total of $75,000 to use to support and enhance safety training programs and purchase safety equipment such as gloves, protective eyewear and hard hats for students enrolled in one of the organization’s four programs– pre-apprentice electrical, pre-apprentice plumbing, HVAC or Certified Production Technician.
“At Skillpoint Alliance, we stress the importance of safety training in the classroom and in the workplace,” Kevin Brackmeyer, CEO of Skillpoint Alliance, said. “We will use the funding we received from Texas Mutual to provide our students with the necessary personal protective equipment and knowledge needed to execute skilled-trade jobs successfully and safely.”
Skillpoint Alliance program participants will earn an OSHA 10 safety certification and have the opportunity to earn additional industry-specific safety certifications. The organization has also implemented a virtual reality safety training program that introduces CPT students to large-scale manufacturing facility equipment. The virtual reality program allows students to complete virtual safety tasks on machinery too large for the average classroom, helping students to familiarize themselves with the various machines they will encounter within a manufacturing facility.
Workforce development and safety training grant recipients were awarded for their focus on:
● Training the current and future skilled workforce in safe work practices, especially in industries or occupations at higher risk for workplace accidents
● Creating strong pathways for in-demand, middle-skill jobs
● Upskilling and reskilling adult learners using earn-and-learn initiatives
To be eligible for grant funding, organizations were required to be based in Texas, be a 501(c)(3) designated organization, and able to demonstrate they are actively delivering assistance and services to Texas communities in the required focus areas.
For more information about Skillpoint Alliance, please visit https://skillpointalliance.org/
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About Skillpoint Alliance
Skillpoint Alliance is a 501(c)3 workforce development organization that provides in-demand workforce training to vulnerable members of the Central Texas and Permian Basin communities. The organization partners with local industry to offer unique professional training and educational opportunities at no cost to participants. Skillpoint Alliance was founded in 1994 and has since become the premier provider of rapid workforce training in the nine-county area in and around Austin. Skillpoint Alliance works continuously to build strong partnerships with local businesses, foundations, community-based organizations, and government agencies in order to grow and support its mission of connecting low-income individuals with career pathways in growing local industries. In 2018, Skillpoint Alliance launched a redesigned and customized Pre-Apprentice Electrical class, followed by a Pre-Apprentice Plumbing program in 2019—and concurrently offers HVAC Technician training, Certified Production Technician, and various other short-term and customizable training options. www.skillpointalliance.org
About Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, is the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. Texas Mutual provides coverage to 42% of the market, representing over 75,000 companies, many of which are small businesses. Since 1991, the company has provided a stable, competitively priced source of workers’ comp insurance for Texas employers. Helping employers prevent workplace accidents is an important part of Texas Mutual’s mission.