City of Bryan to apply for federal grant with Texas A&M RELLIS Academic Alliance
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Bryan City Council met Tuesday to take the next step in the city’s workforce development.
The city and RELLIS will be working together to submit an application for the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, a grant managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The grant is designed to address employment gaps within certain areas and the communities that are most affected by it.
According to the city’s resolution, the money will go toward workforce training, creating new jobs, and increasing wages.
In Bryan, trade-based industries face one of the largest worker shortages.
“There’s a demand for electricians, maintenance, more industrial,” Leah Wolfe of Staffing Texas said.
Staffing agencies such as Staffing Texas are struggling to fill these positions. According to Wolfe, the candidates they’re seeing don’t match the jobs that are available.
“We are noticing that there is a bit of a skills gap,” Wolfe said, “So many candidates are coming in, and they’re lacking some of the necessary skills.”
The involvement of the RELLIS Academic Alliance in this initiative is a natural fit, Wolfe said. The campus offers trade certification programs.
“I think it would be really beneficial to the area, you know, creating more jobs,” Wolfe said.
