The East End District’s 2017-2020 Strategic Plan for Economic Development supports the expansion and retention of existing businesses and encourages entrepreneurialism and small business creation, including skills training and other education programs. To that end, the District allocates 3% of annual assessment revenue toward workforce development projects that benefit both workers and employers in the East End.

Following an open request for project proposals, the review committee recommended and the East End District Board of Directors approved the following proposals for award:

• TXRX Labs, Machinist Training Program – Construction and Electronics Assembly Training, $70,000 over 2 years
  Construction and Electronics Assembly would be two new trainings offered under the TXRX workforce umbrella starting this fall. The original grant request for these two programs totaled $134,795. After reviewing the proposal, the Committee recommended to award the line item in the proposed budget toward Equipment totaling $60,000 for two years, with a balance of $10,000 to be used toward Student Certification Exams, Certification Licensing, and Screening Costs benefiting East End Residents or Students. The initial proposal targeted assistance to 48 unduplicated beneficiaries with a leverage of approximately $471,700 from other sources.
• Houston Community College Southeast, Forklift Technician Program, $25,000 over 2 years
  A new program initiated by Houston Community College Southeast, the focus of the program is to provide training to attain a forklift certification and be placed in firms in and around the East End. The grant is focused on student scholarships and textbook purchases. A total of 100 unduplicated beneficiaries would be targeted for assistance over the two-year period. This $25,000 grant would leverage $302,400.
• Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, Work and Learn Center, $80,000 over 2 years
  The Work and Learn Center is a new training program developing the employability for Young Adults (18-24 years) by providing a six week paid soft and hard skills training and a paid opportunity to work in an onsite youth enterprise focus on graphic design. A total of 95 unduplicated beneficiaries would be targeted for assistance over the two-year period. This $80,000 grant request would leverage approximately $891,000 in other grant funds to the East End Community.