Keller ISD received more than $1.7 million in grant money from the Texas Workforce Commission.

The first grant in the amount of $410,584 will be used to help purchase and install equipment to initially serve 179 students and provide electrician training. The second grant is for $651,852 and will help purchase and install equipment to initially serve 174 students and provide heating, ventilation and air conditioning and refrigeration training. The third grant totaled $677,849 and will be used to help purchase and install equipment to initially serve 362 students and provide welding, cutting, soldering and brazing training.

North Texas educational institutions received more than $5.5 million of the more than $54 million in jobs and education grants awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission to public community, state and technical colleges; school districts; and open-enrollment charter schools across the state, according to Dallas Innovates.

“Texas continues to cultivate a highly skilled, diverse workforce through major investments in career and technical education training programs for our students,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement when he announced the awards. “Through this over $54 million in job training grants, more Texans will have the opportunity to pursue good-paying jobs in high-demand careers across the state. Texas is the land of economic opportunity, and I thank the Texas Workforce Commission for their ongoing efforts to ensure that our students can grow and thrive in our state’s booming economy.”