Workforce training enrollment expected to spike in Central Texas with Pell Grant expansion
AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the first time, more people can get money from the federal government to help them pay for workforce training courses.
The expansion of Pell Grants is part of the “Big Beautiful Bill” that’s now law.
Skillpoint Alliance is a workforce development organization that’s been training students in Austin for more than 30 years.
“Many of our students come from poverty, and they are looking for an opportunity to get out of the situation that they’re in,” Skillpoint Alliance Chief Executive Officer Kevin Brackmeyer said.
It, and other programs alike, will be impacted by a big change. And it’ll directly affect students who seek training.
“I think being able to get this kind of support while they’re in our training program will be a gamechanger,” Brackmeyer said.
Pell grants — the largest federal financial aid grant program — was reserved for undergraduate low-income higher education students. Now, students who aren’t pursuing a Bachelor’s degree can choose a different path, with more support. The workforce programs must be between 8 to 14 weeks to qualify for the Pell grant.
Brackmeyer expects it to make a big impact on the Austin-area job force.
“There’s about 10,000 workers needed per year, every single year, and we’re only filling about 6000 of those jobs collectively,” Brackmeyer said. “Creating generational wealth is what we really are targeting to help our students to really make an impact.”
Skillpoint offers electrical, manufacturing, technician and plumbing training.
Universities and colleges, like Austin Community College (ACC), have their own programs as well. ACC has been educating its students on the new opportunity while also reassuring its Pell Grant students that they won’t be losing their financial aid.
“There were no changes to program, in terms of enrollment intensity, and I know a lot of our students have been worried about that,” Karen Serna, with ACC’s financial aid outreach, said.
People can apply for Pell grants through the free federal aid student application.
While the new federal law expanding Pell grants does help more Americans, it does change some things, financially, that will impact higher education loan borrowers.
According to Scholarship Owl’s Jennifer Finetti, a student advocate who helps students navigate scholarships, graduate and professional students will no longer be able to take out Grad PLUS loans, beginning July 1, 2026.
Finetti said Parent PLUS will be capped at $20,000 per child, and borrower payment plans will also be impacted.
“You’ll only be able to choose between the standard repayment plan and the new repayment assistance plan, referred to as WRAP,” Finetti said. “It’s a lot of information, future borrowers and current borrowers really need to read up and understand.”
