March 26, 2025

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Joins Event as AT&T, Human-I-T Provide 100 Laptops to the Smithville Workforce Training Center

(SMITHVILLE) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today joined local officials and representatives from AT&T® and Human-I-T to provide Career Tracks, formerly the Smithville Workforce Training Center, with 100 refurbished laptops to distribute to job seekers in the Career Tracks program. 

Hegar, whose agency oversees the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO), said these AT&T-funded computers reinforce BDO's efforts to connect more Texans to expanded broadband access.

"Those efforts include connecting more Texans right here in Bastrop County. My office recently announced that we awarded a $43 million grant to bring fiber internet to more than 10,000 locations across this area through our Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas II program,” said Hegar. "While there is still more work to be done, today's collaboration is a testament to the public and private sectors’ ongoing commitment to enhancing workforce readiness and unlocking economic potential for our communities." 

Janice Bruno, Career Tracks executive director, said: “At Career Tracks, we firmly believe that workforce development equals economic development. Here, we serve job seekers and employers in Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette and Lee counties, connecting them to industry-based credentialed courses and assisting in job placement. Today’s laptop distribution falls right in line with the goals of our organization and will empower the job seekers we serve by improving their access to online tools, technologies and resources.”

AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030. This includes distributing more than 23,000 computers to students and their families across Texas since 2021.

“As part of AT&T’s nationwide commitment to connect more communities, we are proud to work with Comptroller Hegar, Human-I-T and Career Tracks to assist in providing 100 refurbished laptops to adults and job seekers served by Career Tracks,” said Leslie Ward, president, AT&T-Texas. “These refurbished computers will help them fully participate in digital life and help identify potential career pathways available to them.”

Hegar was first elected Comptroller in 2014. He serves as the state's chief financial officer and chief revenue estimator, managing the finances for the world's eighth-largest economy. In 2021, the Legislature tasked Hegar with creating the Texas Broadband Development Office, which is responsible for developing and implementing Texas' broadband plan and managing federal and state funding for broadband infrastructure projects.