AUSTIN, TX — Governor Greg Abbott on Monday announced a series of agency directives aimed at strengthening workforce development and expanding access to high-demand, high-paying jobs across Texas.
The directives, based on recommendations from the Texas Jobs Council, call for immediate action from multiple state agencies to improve the state’s workforce system and better prepare Texans for careers in skilled trades and other critical industries. Abbott unveiled the plan during a press conference at the Governor’s Mansion.
“The demand for a high-skilled workforce has never been greater,” said Governor Abbott. “I tasked the Texas Jobs Council with developing recommendations that could be implemented immediately through either executive or agency action to make sure we have the best trained workforce in the United States. Based on those recommendations, I am directing four state agencies to take immediate action.”
Abbott created the Texas Jobs Council in March to develop both legislative recommendations and actions that could be implemented through executive or agency authority. The council collaborated with the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to produce the recommendations.
Under the directives, the Texas Workforce Commission will expand apprenticeship opportunities by identifying new apprenticeable occupations and create a centralized online hub for career planning resources. The agency will also develop unified career pathways for individuals facing employment barriers, including veterans, foster youth and people with disabilities, and launch digital Learning and Employment Records through the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative.
The Texas Education Agency will focus on expanding Career and Technical Education by recruiting more skilled trades professionals to teach courses, updating industry certification lists to reflect workforce needs, and increasing access to hands-on learning through mobile STEM labs in rural and small districts. The agency will also expand the Texas Regional Pathways Network statewide to increase dual-credit opportunities.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will promote careers in high-demand fields that do not require a bachelor’s degree through a new campaign on the My Texas Future platform. The board will also provide career advising training for counselors and launch new community college dashboards to track workforce-aligned programs and credentials.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will review age requirements to allow younger Texans to enter apprenticeships and licensed trades earlier, while maintaining safety standards. The agency will also waive renewal fees and reduce continuing education requirements for more than 20,000 Career and Technical Education instructors, expand licensing exam options and allow certain training experiences to count toward licensure requirements.
Abbott said the actions are intended to support economic growth and ensure Texans are equipped to meet workforce demands across the state.
The announcement included participation from Texas Jobs Council co-chairs Megan Mauro, interim president of the Texas Association of Business, and Brent Taylor, Southern Region vice president of the Teamsters, along with other business and labor leaders and state officials.
The council is expected to reconvene this fall to develop additional legislative recommendations for the 90th Texas Legislature, with a final report anticipated in November 2026.
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