Texas Workforce Commission
One mission of the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) is to assist employers and individuals with employment needs. The TWC maintains an extensive database of workers registered with the agency and positions open in the local job market, then matches employee candidates with these position openings. The TWC can also certify potential employees for Targeted Jobs Tax Credits for employers. For applicants who qualify, the credit may save up to 40% of the first $6,000 in wages during the first year of employment (maximum credit of $2,400 per employee). www.twc.state.tx.us.

The WorkSource
The WorkSource is a regional partnership of business, education, labor, and community organizations committed to providing the education, training, and labor market services that will make employers and residents more competitive in the global economy.  This system, which covers a 13-county region in Southeast Texas and includes Houston, the nation's fourth largest city, is available to the more than 90,000 businesses and 4.5 million residents in the area.  The system is overseen by The WorkSource - Gulf Coast Workforce Board, a 63-person board of directors with a majority of members from the private business sector. The Board's staff, housed at the Houston-Galveston Area Council, directs and manages a group of contractors that provide direct services through 36 employment and job research Career Offices located throughout the region. www.theworksource.org.

Gulf Coast Consortium
The Gulf Coast Consortium is composed of 9 two-year, post-secondary institutions, including College of the Mainland, San Jacinto College, Galveston College, and Houston Community College. Advisory committees, chosen from business and industrial leadership in each community, provide vital direction to these programs. Members make curricular recommendations, assist in program evaluation, and provide essential data about manpower needs. In addition, the Consortium works to ensure that its students are able to transfer their credits to area universities such as the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Tuition Subsidies
Employers who send their employees to any of the Gulf Coast Consortium schools benefit from the fact that the schools are government-supported. Public school tuition generally covers only one-third the cost of educating students; the difference is made up through legislative appropriations or local taxes. The difference is significant and these subsidies offer a real advantage to employers.