Collin College and Ranger College Awarded True Grant

Feb. 14, 2022 The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has awarded Collin College and Ranger College a $314,279 Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) grant.

According to the THECB, the grant is part of a $26 million grant funding 46 public junior colleges, public state colleges, and public technical colleges in Texas to support students impacted by COVID-19. Institutions may use the TRUE grants to rapidly create, expand, or redesign short-term postsecondary workforce credentials and training programs in high demand occupational areas. The grant opportunity is supported by an allocation Governor Greg Abbott and Texas legislative leadership committed to the THECB from the federal Governors Emergency Educational Relief (GEER) Fund.

This alliance is a wonderful opportunity to provide much-needed training to students atRangerCollege and Collin College, according to Collin CollegeDistrictPresident Dr. Neil Matkin.

We are pleased to be able to collaborate withRangerCollege on this grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Dr. Matkin said. The grant will allow us to share oureducationalresources and offer members of both communities free training and opportunities for certification in critical networking and information systems security fields. This collaboration is a natural fit which we believe will yield long-term opportunities.

Students who complete the courses will receive an exam voucher which will cover the cost of CompTia A+, Network+, and Security+ industry recognized certification exams.

President of Ranger College Derrick Worrels also appreciates the partnership.

Access and equity to workforce related education is paramount to building a robust and skilled workforce; however, the expenses associated with offering contemporary high-end technologies can be a challenge, he said.Sharing operating and instructional expenses with a great partner reduces the challenge, and just makes sense.Collin College has created an innovative online platform that allows students an opportunity to obtain industry-recognized cyber certifications.I am excited to bring this platform to our students, communities, and service area.

Classes are scheduled throughout spring and summer, and seats are limited. For more information about the grant, contact Maite Palma at mpalma@collin.edu.

Collin College serves more than 56,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, including new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity degrees. The only public college based in Collin County, Collin College is a partner to business, government and industry, providing customized training and workforce development. For more information, visitwww.collin.edu.