Texas

5 ways Texas is reimagining workforce development

Published

6 months ago

June 25, 2025

5 ways Texas is reimagining workforce development

Higher education and business leaders say Texas is reimagining workforce development through legislative and educational strategies aimed at transforming how students prepare for careers in the world’s rapidly changing economy.

The Dallas Regional Chamber held a higher education forum Tuesday to give officials an opportunity to showcase efforts to adapt to evolving workforce needs.

Those efforts matter across Dallas-Fort Worth, where graduates from over 70 accredited colleges and universities contribute over $120 billion annually to the region’s economy, and the school institutions collectively contribute $37 billion and employ over 300,000 people, according to the Dallas Regional Chamber (The Chamber is a supporter of the Future of North Texas initiative at The News.)

These findings come as parts of North Texas continue to struggle with poverty, which can hinder one’s ability to obtain better jobs, advocates say. In Dallas County, two out of three young adults cannot afford essential living costs, including food, shelter and health care, according to the Commit Partnership. (Commit is a supporter of the Future of North Texas initiative.)

Colleges and businesses have to do more to prepare students for the workforce in order to uplift residents and sustain Texas’ standing as the world’s eight-largest economy, said Wynn Rosser, the state’s higher education commissioner.

“The state can’t achieve its education and workforce goals without the Dallas-Fort Worth region,” Rosser said.

Here are five takeaways from the higher education forum.

Career training efforts

Educate Texas Executive Director Kerri Briggs introduces Wynn Rosser, the Texas Commissioner of Higher Education, who delivered the keynote address in his first year leading the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The luncheon event took place at the Dallas Regional Chamber in Dallas, June 24, 2025.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

Dallas-Fort Worth will soon have a new program designed to support young adults who are neither working nor in school, said Kerri Briggs, executive director of Educate Texas, a public-private initiative of the Communities Foundation of Texas. (The Communities Foundation of Texas is a supporter of the Future of North Texas initiative.)

The DFW Opportunity Youth Collaborative will seek to reconnect schools and businesses with over 60,000 adults, ages 19 to 24, Briggs said. She said her organization is excited about creating a new learning collaborative on artificial intelligence and education leadership.

“We’re also working closely with Dallas College and Workforce Solutions to grow access to apprenticeships, which ensures a welcome workforce for our booming, booming business sector,” Briggs said. Workforce Solutions refers to the local workforce development boards in Texas that provide career development services to individuals seeking jobs.

Legislative support for students

State Sen. Royce West of Dallas (seated center in white jacket) attended the Dallas Regional... — State Sen. Royce West of Dallas (seated center in white jacket) attended the Dallas Regional Chamber’s higher education forum featuring Wynn Rosser, Texas commissioner of higher education, who delivered the keynote address in his first year leading the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The luncheon event took place at the Chamber offices in Dallas on June 24, 2025.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

New laws passed by state lawmakers could help make higher education more accessible for students, Rosser said.

Effectively immediately, sixth-grade students will be required to create an early career profile on the My Texas Future website to help them explore potential career paths and understand the credentials needed for different jobs, according to Senate Bill 2314.

This law also requires high school seniors to participate in direct admissions, a process that allows students to automatically learn which universities they qualify for by submitting self-reported academic information.

Another new law, Senate Bill 2231, establishes a free college application week during October, eliminating application fees for students. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board also received an additional $328 million for need-based scholarship programs, and is improving how students can transfer financial aid between institutions, Rosser said.

“We now, because of the changes in policy and the additional dollars, will be able to tell the top 25% of eligible students that they will be receiving state need-based aid,” Rosser said, referring to the students who qualify for financial aid based on their academic performance and their family’s income.

Workforce gaps

Sukumaran Nair (left), SMU’s Vice Provost for Research and Chief Innovation Officer, joined... — Sukumaran Nair (left), SMU’s Vice Provost for Research and Chief Innovation Officer, joined Koushik Venkataraman (center), Texas Instruments Director of Workforce Development and moderator Michelle Wood for a panel discussion on the Intersection of of Higher Education and Industry during the Dallas Regional Chamber luncheon event at the Chamber offices in Dallas, June 24, 2025.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

One of the challenges Texas faces is addressing its labor shortage, officials said, noting that there’s a critical need to develop more technicians and specialized workforce pipelines, particularly in sectors like semiconductors and logistics.

Koushik Venkataraman, director of workforce development for Texas Instruments, said the region needs a lot of people who have earned either an associate’s degree or a level one certificate in electronics, robotics, mechatronics, HVAC, mechanical and electrical.

He recalled how his company discovered at one point that among the 150,000 students enrolled at DFW’s community colleges, only about 1,000 of them took courses related to those fields.

“Even if you just look at the North Texas region … you would need more technicians,” Venkataraman said. “With this number, you’re not going to be able to meet that requirement.”

Efforts to address this gap in high-tech manufacturing fields include increased exposure to those jobs, such as through career exploration programs for middle school students and adults, Venkataraman said.

He lauded the Texas Education Agency for its work to develop a regional program of study for electronic technology and manufacturing, as well as work among the high schools that now offer level one certificates in electronic technology.

Leadership in research and innovation

The Dallas Regional Chamber hosted a higher education forum featuring Wynn Rosser, the Texas... — The Dallas Regional Chamber hosted a higher education forum featuring Wynn Rosser, the Texas Commissioner of Higher Education, who delivered the keynote address in his first year leading the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The luncheon event took place at the Dallas Regional Chamber offices in Dallas, June 24, 2025.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

Despite gaps in workforce skills, Rosser said Texas now leads the nation with the highest number of designated research universities.

Texas now has 16 doctoral degree-granting institutions that conduct research, surpassing both California and New York, Rosser said. The state’s standing comes as Texas has set goals to increase research and innovation spending to $4.5 billion and to award 7,500 research doctorates.

As of 2023, Texas has increased research and innovation spending to $4.2 billion and has awarded more than 6,200 doctoral degrees annually.

This is the first time Texas “has led the nation” in this category, Rosser said, who added that “we do not intend to lose that spot.”

Credential diversity

One of the biggest takeaways from the forum was a call to action for educators to show more appreciation for short-term workforce credentials.

Rosser, who mentioned how he obtained his own Emergency Medical Technician credential about three years ago, said there’s a growing recognition that post-secondary education isn’t just about four-year degrees.

That means Texas is increasingly valuing and supporting various credentials, including certificates, associate degrees and short-term training programs that provide valuable skills for the workforce, Rosser said.

“When your HVAC goes out, you want somebody with the right certification to show up and help,” Rosser said, eliciting laughter from the audience. “And you’ll pay anything it takes.”

This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.

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Why Texas A&M’s former Heisman winner was a generational dual-threat

Published

2 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Why Texas A&M’s former Heisman winner was a generational dual-threat

On Saturday night, the 91st Heisman winner will be announced, as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are the four finalists who will contend for the most prestigious award college football has to offer.

All four players led their teams to double-digit wins. At the same time, Mendoza and Sayin are headed to the College Football Playoff after Indiana’s Big Ten Championship win over the Buckeyes vaulted the Hoosiers to the No. 1-seed, receiving a first-round bye in the CFP.

For Texas A&M fans, former star quarterback Johnny Manziel, who won the program’s second Heisman Trophy after his historic 2012 redshirt freshman season, was back in the news after Bleacher Report revealed back-to-back rushing comparisons to Jeremiyah Love’s prolific 2025 rushing production, which led to him becoming a Heisman finalist.

Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for an incredible 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns on 201 carries, averaging seven yards per carry. Love, whose entire job is running and catching the ball, ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

This takes nothing away from Jeremiyah Love’s incredible season, but is just another reason Johnny Manziel’s 2012 season is still regarded as the most outstanding Heisman-winning campaign, outside of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s 2010 Heisman season.

After throwing for 2,932 yards and 25 touchdowns, Texas A&M star QB Marcel Reed did not make the Heisman finalist cut.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

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2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, times

Published

14 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, times

Here’s the complete college football bowl schedule for the 2025-26 season, which begins Saturday, Dec. 13. Games continue through the College Football Playoff title game on Monday, Jan. 19.

This article will continue to be updated as bowl games go final.

2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, matchup information

(all times ET)

Saturday, Dec. 13

Celebration Bowl
South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M
12 p.m. | ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia

LA Bowl
Boise State vs. Washington
8 p.m. | ABC
SoFi Stadium
Inglewood, Calif.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Salute to Veterans Bowl
Troy vs. Jacksonville State
9 p.m. | ESPN
Cramton Bowl
Montgomery, Ala.

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Cure Bowl
Old Dominion vs. South Florida
5 p.m. | ESPN
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

68 Ventures Bowl
Louisiana vs. Delaware
8:30 p.m. | ESPN
Hancock Whitney Stadium
Mobile, Ala.

Thursday, Dec. 18

Xbox Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Missouri State
9 p.m. | ESPN2
Ford Center
Frisco, Texas

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan
11 a.m. | ESPN
Brooks Stadium
Conway, S.C.

Gasparilla Bowl
Memphis vs. NC State
2:30 p.m. | ESPN
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Fla.

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama
8 p.m. | ESPN, ABC
Memorial Stadium
Norman, Okla.

Saturday, Dec. 20

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.)
12 p.m. | ESPN, ABC
Kyle Field
College Station, Texas

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 20 Tulane
3:30 p.m. | TNT, HBO Max, truTV
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Oxford, Miss.

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 24 James Madison
7:30 p.m. | TNT, HBO Max, truTV
Autzen Stadium
Eugene, Ore.

Monday, Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Washington State vs. Utah State
2 p.m. | ESPN
Albertsons Stadium
Boise, Idaho

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Boca Raton Bowl

New Orleans Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss
5:30 p.m. | ESPN
Caesars Superdome
New Orleans, La.

Frisco Bowl
UNLV vs. Ohio
9 p.m. | ESPN
Ford Center at The Star
Frisco, Texas

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Hawai’i Bowl
Cal vs. Hawai’i
8 p.m. | ESPN
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex
Honolulu, Hawai’i

Friday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Northwestern
1 p.m. | ESPN
Ford Field
Detroit, Mich.

Rate Bowl
New Mexico vs. Minnesota
4:30 p.m. | ESPN
Chase Field
Phoenix, Ariz.

First Responder Bowl
FIU vs. UTSA
8 p.m. | ESPN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Dallas, Texas

Saturday, Dec. 27

Military Bowl
Pitt vs. East Carolina
11 a.m. | ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Annapolis, Md.

Pinstripe Bowl
Clemson vs. Penn State
12 p.m. | ABC
Yankee Stadium
Bronx, N.Y.

Fenway Bowl
UConn vs. Army
2:15 p.m. | ESPN
Fenway Park
Boston, Mass.

Pop-Tarts Bowl
No. 12 BYU vs. No. 22 Georgia Tech
3:30 p.m. | ABC
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

Arizona Bowl
Miami (Ohio) vs. Fresno State
4:30 p.m. | The CW Network
Arizona Stadium
Tucson, Ariz.

New Mexico Bowl
No. 25 North Texas vs. San Diego State
5:45 p.m. | ESPN
University Stadium
Albuquerque, N.M.

Gator Bowl
Missouri vs. No. 19 Virginia
7:30 p.m. | ABC
EverBank Stadium
Jacksonville, Fla.

Texas Bowl
LSU vs. No. 21 Houston
9:15 p.m. | ESPN
NRG Stadium
Houston, Texas

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Independence Bowl
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech
2 p.m. | ESPN
Independence Stadium
Shreveport, La.

Music City Bowl
Tennessee vs. Illinois
5:30 p.m. | ESPN
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, Tenn.

Alamo Bowl
No. 16 USC vs. TCU
9 p.m. | ESPN
Alamodome
San Antonio, Texas

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt
12 p.m. | ESPN
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Fla.

Sun Bowl
Arizona State vs. Duke
2 p.m. | CBS
Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas

Citrus Bowl
No. 13 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan
3 p.m. | ABC
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

Las Vegas Bowl
Nebraska vs. No. 15 Utah
3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas, Nev.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami (Fla.) winner
7:30 p.m. | ESPN , WatchESPN
AT&T Stadium (Cotton Bowl)
Arlington, Texas

Thursday, Jan. 1

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 24 James Madison winner
12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Hard Rock Stadium (Orange Bowl)
Miami Gardens, Fla.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama winner
4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Rose Bowl (Rose Bowl)
Pasadena, Calif.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 20 Tulane winner
8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Caesars Superdome (Sugar Bowl)
New Orleans, La.

Friday, Jan. 2

Armed Forces Bowl
Texas State vs. Rice
1 p.m. | ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Fort Worth, Texas

Liberty Bowl
Navy vs. Cincinnati
4:30 p.m. | ESPN
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
Memphis, Tenn.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest
8 p.m. | ESPN
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, N.C.

Holiday Bowl
No. 17 Arizona vs. SMU
8 p.m. | FOX
Snapdragon Stadium
San Diego, Calif.

Thursday, Jan. 8

College Football Playoff Semifinal
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
State Farm Stadium (Fiesta Bowl)
Glendale, Ariz.

Friday, Jan. 9

College Football Playoff Semifinal
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Peach Bowl)
Atlanta, Ga.

Monday, Jan. 19

College Football Playoff National Championship Game
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami, Fla.

Here’s a complete list of scores from the College Football Playoff since its first season in 2014:

College Football Playoff: Scores, results

2014 season

Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon 59, No. 3 Florida State 20
Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35
CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20

2015 season

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson 37, No. 4 Oklahoma 17
Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40

2016 season

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 31, No. 3 Ohio State 0
Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 4 Washington 7
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31

2017 season

Rose Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 54, No. 2 Oklahoma 48 (2OT)
Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Alabama 24, No. 1 Clemson 6
CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)

2018 season

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 45, No. 4 Oklahoma 34
Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 30, No. 3 Notre Dame 3
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16

2019 season

Peach Bowl: No. 1 LSU 63, No. 4 Oklahoma 28
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Clemson 29, No. 2 Ohio State 23
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25

2020 season

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 31, No. 4 Notre Dame 14
Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. 2 Clemson 28
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24

2021 season

Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 27, No. 4 Cincinnati 6
Orange Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11
CFP National Championship Game: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18

2022 season

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia 42, No. 4 Ohio State 41
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 TCU 51, No. 2 Michigan 45
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7

2023 season

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Michigan 27, No. 4 Alabama 20
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington 37, No. 3 Texas 31
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13

2024 season

First round (Dec. 20-21)
Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)
CFP National Championship

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Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

After dropping the first two sets, No. 3 seed Texas A&M (25-4) stormed back to beat No. 2 seed Louisville (26-6) 3-2 in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament Friday night.

Texas A&M moves on to play Sunday against either No. 1 Nebraska or No. 4 Kansas, who play at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday night. Here’s how the Sweet 16 heavyweight match played out:

FINAL: Texas A&M wins 3-2, taking final set 15-12.

No. 3 Texas A&M completed a reverse sweep against No. 2 Louisville to advance to the regional final for the first time since 2001 after winning the fifth set, 15-12. The Aggies were able to swing the momentum of the game with their blocking ability, led by Ifenna Cos-okpalla’s 12 total blocks.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (20 kills, 10 digs on .245 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (16 kills, 11 digs on .282 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (12 kills on .226 hitting) each recorded double-digit kills.

“We just weren’t finishing the last end of the set,” said an emotional Lednicky, who was three blocks away from a triple double. “We’re like, we’re not letting them sweep us. We know how to grind, we know how to dig it. We saw it in the TCU match and we did just that last one.”

Tensions boiled over in the fifth set. Louisville head coach Dan Meske earned a yellow card for swatting the ball because he thought the referee missed a carry call during a long rally Texas A&M won to go up 12-10.

Louisville’s Chloe Chicoine finished with a game-high 26 kills hitting .300 in the loss.

No. 3 Texas A&M took a 17-8 lead after holding No. 2 Louisville to a -.143 hitting percentage to start the fourth set with its defensive prowess. The Aggies stretched their lead to as many as nine points, but Louisville went on a 7-1 run to come within three points of Texas A&M. The Aggies didn’t relinquish the lead this time. Texas A&M finished the fourth set on a 4-0 run to force a decisive fifth set.

Texas A&M held Louisville to .000 hitting in the fourth set. The Aggies hit .267 and recorded nine blocks. Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (18 kills on .333 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (14 kills on .243 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .200 hitting) each have double-digit kills. Ifenna Cos-okpalla is up to 11 blocks.

The Aggies are going for the reverse sweep, the team’s first since September 2024.

No. 3 Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison said his team needed to do a better job at finishing at the end of the set if they wanted to extend their season against No. 2 Louisville after giving up leads in the first two sets. The Aggies did just that in a third set that featured 15 ties and five lead changes.

The Aggies had a 23-21 lead in the third set before Louisville tied it up at 23-23 following back-to-back kills from Chloe Chicoine. Texas A&M’s Kyndal Stowers responded with a pair of kills herself to give the Aggies the set, 25-23.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (14 kills on .333 hitting), Stowers (11 kills on .259 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .261) each have double-digit kills as the team is collectively hitting .292.

Meanwhile, Chicoine is up to 19 kills on .405 hitting. Cara Cresse added seven blocks.

New set, same scenario. Much like the first set, Texas A&M was the first team to reach 15 points. The Aggies had a 21-16 lead in the second set, before Louisville staged another comeback. The Cardinals went on a 9-1 run to take the lead and clinch the second set, 25-22, to take a 2-0 lead over Texas A&M.

Louisville capitalized on 14 total blocks and three aces. Chloe Chicoine (11 kills on .400 hitting) and Payton Petersen (10 kills on .563 hitting) led the Cardinals in kills.

Logan Lednicky has nine kills, while Emily Hellmuth and Kyndal Stowers each have seven kills for Texas A&M.

No. 3 Texas A&M had control of the first set and was the first team to 15 points, but No. 2 Louisville went on a 5-0 run to tie it up at 17-17. Five more ties ensued before Louisville ultimately created some separation to take the first set, 25-23. Louisville hit .457 and had two players with six or more kills — Payton Petersen (seven kills on .778 hitting) and Chloe Chicoine (six kills on .600 hitting).

NCAA volleyball tournament regionals schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, Dec. 12

Saturday, Dec. 13

Sunday, Dec. 14

TBA | No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
Regional final, TBD

NCAA women’s volleyball bracket

Find the full NCAA women’s volleyball tournament bracket on the NCAA website.

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