[PRESS RELEASE] - The tech industry in the state of Texas is booming, with a growing demand for skilled workers in Cloud/IT support, software development and data analytics. According to LinkedIn, there are over 8,000 tech jobs currently unfilled in the state of Texas. To address this talent gap, AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance is expanding into Texas with support from key collaborators across industry, education and government with the goal of helping to modernize tech programs of study at higher education institutions, connecting learners to in-demand tech jobs and supporting the development of a highly-skilled tech workforce in the Lone Star State. "As the pace of technological change advances in every market, the need for a globally diverse, digitally skilled pipeline has never been more important. The expansion of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance into Texas further demonstrates our commitment to bring together government, education, industry and nonprofits to address this critical need and enable future economic growth," said Valerie Singer, AWS Global Education Lead. The initial launch of the Tech Alliance in Texas focuses on the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas. These two major hubs are home to a diverse array of employers seeking tech talent and a robust system of educational institutions ready to prepare the next generation of Cloud and IT professionals. This launch represents a critical step in addressing the talent gap in the state's tech industry. Four of the state's higher education institutions have come together as part of the region's initial launch: Texas State University Houston Community College Dallas College Kilgore College Several of the state's most innovative companies will collaborate with AWS to identify talent needs, provide real-world learning experiences for students and hire qualified candidates into tech roles. These employers include Brooksource Corestack DLZP Group JP Morgan Chase Tanches Global Management TEKsystems "JP Morgan Chase has been deeply ingrained in the Texas community for more than a century and a half, tracing its origins back to the First National Bank of Houston," said Stacey Laurent, Vice President and Lead Technical Program Manager for JP Morgan Chase. "We prioritize investing in our community's individuals. As proud members of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, we eagerly anticipate contributing to the worldwide movement that revitalizes tech education and fosters a diverse, skilled pool of talent, enriching the landscape of Texas. Diversity stands as a cornerstone of our values at JP Morgan Chase; it is essential for fostering innovation and progress." Recently, Texas has been recognized for its innovative approach to aligning education policy to its economic goals. Central to these policies is the push to ensure post-secondary programming leads to high quality career pathways for Texans. This alignment of education, workforce and economic development goals fits perfectly with the goals of the Tech Alliance and provides a unique partnership opportunity with the state. To ensure that the program continues to amplify the state's priorities, AWS will work closely with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. AWS has a long history of collaborating with organizations in Texas to advance workforce development and skills attainment initiatives. Participation in the Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston Executive Committee and the Dallas Regional Chamber's Board of Directors has helped position AWS as a regional voice in workforce and economic development. These organizations, along with Alcantar Strategies, will partner with AWS to leverage their extensive networks and community connections to promote Tech Alliance programs and connect learners to opportunities. Through its employer-led UpSkill Houston initiative, the Greater Houston Partnership has invested heavily in advancing the skills and opportunities for Houstonians, ensuring employers have the skilled talent they need to grow and compete," said Peter Beard, Senior Vice President of Regional Workforce Development for the Greater Houston Partnership. "Collaborating with AWS as a member of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance will amplify the work we are already accomplishing in Houston and advance the alignment of our talent pipelines to in-demand technology jobs in all industries." "The Dallas Regional Chamber is focused on improving the education, talent and workforce pipeline to support a high-quality life for all people in the Dallas Region," said Elizabeth Caudill McClain, Senior Vice President of Talent Strategies at the Dallas Regional Chamber. "The launch of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance poses an exciting opportunity for business leaders across Texas to join together to address the skills gap for high-demand IT jobs while also supporting the economic mobility of Texans - a win-win for the future of our companies and communities." AWS launched the Tech Alliance in June 2023 at the DC Public Sector Summit, bringing together a global coalition of higher education institutions, employers, government and collaborating organizations to address the tech skills gap. The Tech Alliance is currently represented in nine countries (USA, Egypt, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, India, Colombia and Brazil), with four other US states engaged (New York, Illinois, Washington and West Virginia). Since its global launch, the Tech Alliance has connected more than 23,000 learners from over 900 higher education institutions with over 350 employers. To learn more or get involved, please visit the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance homepage.

The Greater Houston Partnership celebrates our members making important announcements and sharing news about their operations and impact in our community. Learn more about some of those announcements over the last months below.  Business Moves BP partners with Australia-based Worley to collaborate deeper with the company's assets in the U.S. and other regions, focusing on engineering, procurement, construction development and management segments. CLEAR expands enrollment and renewal options by opening seven new locations, including locations in Houston's William P. Hobby International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. CLEAR now has 20 TSA PreCheck enrollment locations open across the U.S. Enterprise Products Partners LP expects a final investment decision for a major offshore terminal project. Enterprise Products Partners LP received its deepwater port license from the United States Maritime Administration in April. It was the most significant milestone so far in developing the project, according to the company. Equinor has agreed to an acquisition with Canada-based Standard Lithium Ltd. in two lithium project companies in Southwest Arkansas and East Texas, supporting core competencies like subsurface and project execution capabilities. Exxon Mobil closes its $59.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources Co. According to Wall Street Journal, it's Exxon's largest deal since acquiring Mobil in 1999. Kids’ Meals breaks ground on a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Spring Branch. The new space will nearly triple the size of its current headquarters.  Legacy Community Health has begun construction on its two-story, 40,000 square feet Legacy Pasadena Southmore Clinic. The new clinic is one of two planned for the Houston area with a generous $50 million gift from Houston Methodist, the largest gift in Legacy's history. Memorial Hermann Medical Group expands into New Caney with a new $10 million facility. The site will provide a range of primary care services, including routine and preventative care. PV Hardware USA opens a new component solar manufacturing facility in Fort Bend County. Rice University partners with Université Paris Sciences & Lettres to research contemporary pressing subject matters such as energy and climate; quantum computing and artificial intelligence; global health and medicine; and urban futures. Education  Houston Christian University approves a $60 million budget science, engineering and nursing complex. Construction on the Sherry and Jim Smith Engineering, Science and Nursing Complex is set to begin January 2025 and by the fall 2026 semester. Lone Star College approves a $41.7 million expansion project. Lone Star College-Houston North Victory and Lone Star College-Magnolia are projected to be substantially complete by summer 2025. Rice University breaks ground on a new $54.5 million building for the Jones Graduate School of Business. The new 112,000-square-foot building will have state-of-the-art classrooms, modern office spaces, open gathering areas, dining areas and facilities for private events.  Health Care  Harris Health System breaks ground on a new, $1.6 billion, Level 1 trauma-capable hospital at the Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital campus. The 12-story, 1.3 million-square-foot hospital with a rooftop helipad will have 390 private patient rooms with the potential to expand to 450. It aims to provide quality and urgent health care to the underserved and under-resourced communities of northeast Harris County. HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood opens the hospital's new $27 million outpatient surgery department. The facility is designed to accommodate a variety of surgical procedures that do not require an overnight hospital stay. Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital opens four new services just under a year before the hospital is set to hold its grand opening in the first quarter of 2025. Services include cancer, infusion, and breast care services, along with the recent opening of physical therapy and rehabilitation programs. MD Anderson commences a new 12 floor building, spanning 757,000 square feet, in the Texas Medical Center with Chicago-based Perkins&Will as the architect. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Rice University partner for the Cancer Bioengineering Collaborative, concentrating on five areas of research including nanotechnologies and leukemia immunotherapies. Texas Medical Center Accelerator joins Texas-Denmark BioBridge to drive Danish technologies to the American market. For the second year, the Texas Medical Center Innovation and BioInnovation Institute have collaborated to accelerate many Danish companies.  Waste Management aims to acquire Illinois-based medical waste company Stericycle Inc. for $7.2 billion. The acquisition will provide regulated medical waste and compliance services as well as secure information-destruction services. Energy Transition  A methodology developed by renewable energy pioneer and Energy Committee Member Drax has been validated by DNV, an organization which delivers world-renowned testing, certification and technical advisory services to the energy sector. The new methodology highlights net carbon dioxide removals delivered using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). ExxonMobil has announced a new pilot program and deployed 10 new all-electric pickup trucks to the Permian Basin, which accounts for nearly half of ExxonMobil's total U.S. oil production. Honeywell partners with Weatherford International Ltd. to combine Honeywell's emissions management suite with Weatherford's technology to upstream oil and gas operators a way to access emissions data in near real-time, make business decisions on potential issues and meet regulatory requirements. Innovation  BP donates $200,000 to Houston Community College to help develop an electric vehicles safety and mechanical training course. Halliburton introduces a new technology that is designed specifically for geothermal energy applications. The inlet design minimizes power consumption, protects the pump against solids, and tackles scale formation. Honeywell launches the Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform, or Battery MXP, an artificial intelligence-powered software solution that will improve battery cell yields. Rice University launches its Synthesis X Center to foster the growth of cancer technologies and medications. SynthX and Baylor College of Medicine’s Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center have announced joint awards of grants to promising teams. The University of Houston has been selected to join a $10 million effort to advance biopharmaceutical manufacturing and engineering, developing a mix-and-read antibody measurement system that uses fluorescent materials to determine the amount of antibody present in a sample. Transportation  Port of Houston Authority appoints Port Commissioner Thomas Jones, Jr., embarking on a two-year term. Southwest Airlines introduces a 155,000-square-foot facility project at William P. Hobby International Airport, which will include a larger warehouse for its provisioning team, expanded cargo facilities, more space for the company’s ground support equipment maintenance teams and additional training spaces. Sugar Land City Council approves a $3.2 million construction contract to widen University Boulevard and alleviate traffic. If you are a member and want us to help communicate news about your organization, please send a press release or information about the announcement to member.engagement@houston.org and we will share it with our content team for possible inclusion in an upcoming roundup. Learn more about Partnership membership.