Veterans-Focused Engineering Technology Project (VFETP)

The Veterans-Focused Engineering Technology Project (VFETP) will address demands in advanced manufacturing industries, particularly those requiring trained workers in electronics technology/mechatronics. These industries are major employers and economic mainstays of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex served by Richland College (RLC). The VFETP will leverage Richland College's existing programs, robust commitments from employers, and TAACCCT dollars to meet these needs. The College will conduct outreach to, train, and support gainful employment for, discharged armed forces veterans enrolled in the Pentagon's Transitions to Veterans Program (TVP), as well as TAA-eligible and other participants. RLC received additional grant funding in the category of Taking to Scale In-Demand Job Training Across the Country through National Industry Partnerships. This grant category incentivizes local community college partnerships to include national partners - such as industry associations - that commit to help design and implement job training programs based on industry-recognized credentials, and replicate these with other education and training institutions across the country where industry also needs to hire workers with those skills.