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Upcoming Events
(All times are in Central Time.)
Monthly Roundtables
- April 2 at 2 p.m. — BDO Texas Broadband Community Roundtable (Teams)
Texas BEAD Program Moves Forward
The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) continues to support Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program provisional awardees as they begin meeting federal permitting requirements and move forward with signing grant agreements.
The BDO is awaiting guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration regarding the use of non-deployment funds. The office will communicate updates as information becomes available.
Texas Invests $15 Million to Boost Broadband Workforce and School Connectivity
The BDO has transferred $5 million from the Broadband Infrastructure Fund (BIF) to the Texas Workforce Commission to expand industry-recognized apprenticeship programs, with a second $5 million installment coming later this year. This funding will reimburse employers who train apprentices in broadband utility engineering and construction, supporting the state’s efforts to build a skilled broadband workforce.
In a separate initiative, $5 million will be transferred from the BIF to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide state matching funds for federal E-Rate broadband projects in schools. The TEA program helps school districts expand or upgrade high-speed internet by leveraging federal funding and can cover part of the eligible broadband construction costs.
The 89th Legislature authorized both efforts to strengthen workforce readiness and expand high-speed internet access.
Developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) Webinar
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Texas Rural Funders are co-hosting a free webinar on April 9 at 1 p.m. CT titled “RFPs Made Manageable: A Practical Guide from Draft to Decision.”
The webinar will offer practical guidance to help local and regional leaders make the RFP process more manageable and navigate broadband procurement with their digital access goals at the forefront. Attendees will hear directly from broadband experts about how communities can clearly articulate project goals, attract the right Internet Service Provider partners and evaluate proposals effectively. Register to attend.
Workforce Program Spotlight: Learning Alliance Corp.
Through the Building the Texas Broadband Workforce Grant Program, the BDO awarded $24.6 million to seven grantees to support the establishment and expansion of accessible, industry-aligned fiber optic training programs across the state. This month, we begin a spotlight series on the awarded programs.
Learning Alliance Corp. (LAC) empowers individuals through education and workforce innovation. To date, LAC has trained 87 individuals through its broadband workforce programs, including 10 registered apprentices. Of those served, more than 54 participants were new to the telecommunications industry, 33 incumbent workers received upskilling training and 30 participants were veterans.
From March through May, LAC will deliver weekly training cohorts for its Fiber Optic Technician and Macro Fiber training programs, continuing to build a skilled workforce capable of supporting Texas’ ambitious broadband expansion efforts. For more information about upcoming training opportunities, please contact Jim Falk at 813-851-4736 or jfalk@mylearningalliance.com.
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