Texas Mutual awards 100K in grant funding to LIT supporting workforce development and safety training
11/10/2023
Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, has announced Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) as a recipient of its 2023 request for proposal initiative. Funds from the $100,000 Workforce Grant will create two programs within LIT’s Workforce Department and will also support tuition for adult learners who have learned English as a second language.
The funding will establish the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Training Program, which is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become competent and compassionate AEMTs and prepare them for the national exam. This course will also include safety-related training to prevent work-related injuries while lifting patients.
Additionally, a program will be developed to offer small insurance agencies in Southeast Texas continuing education training for aspiring insurance agents to prepare students for the Texas General Property and Casualty license exam.
“We could not have been more thrilled to be chosen for this grant,” said Ana Pereda, LIT Executive Director of Workforce. “We expect the programs that are in development to have long term impact and that they will address several needs we discovered when assessing community workforce demands.”
LIT is one of 57 recipients throughout Texas to receive support in their efforts in workforce development and safety training from Texas Mutual. These grants are part of Texas Mutual’s larger commitment of $8 million in grant funding to nonprofit organizations across the state in two categories—generational learning for working families, and workforce development and safety training.
“We recognize that empowering these nonprofits with grants is an investment in the future for more resilient communities and a stronger workforce for Texas,” said Jackie Sekiguchi, Texas Mutual community affairs manager. “Each organization inspires us through their dedication to workforce development and safety training.”
Grant recipients were awarded for their focus on the following:
- 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 on the LIT Workforce Training and Continuing Education Department, visit https://www.lit.edu/workforce-continuing-education.
