Tyler Junior College has received a $261,975 grant to purchase and install equipment that will provide 487 students with high-tech training to enter the healthcare field.
The funds are part of 23 Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) grants totaling almost $5 million recently awarded to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges and independent school districts for programs that focus on supporting high-demand occupations through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program.
“These grants will focus on advanced technical training and will keep our Texas businesses competitive and our economy strong,” said TWC Chair Ruth R. Hughs. “By providing JET funding to our schools, we will produce the highest quality of candidates for our Texas employers in high-demand occupations as well as new emerging industries.”
Qualifying educational institutions were awarded a grant for the development of programs or courses leading to a license, certificate or post-secondary degree. The JET grant program focuses on projects that target high-demand jobs in new or emerging industries.
TJC will use the grant funds for:
• Audio-visual equipment for two high-fidelity simulation rooms, allowing professors to hear and record student interactions with simulation manikins and patients
• Two new high-fidelity manikins, in addition to the existing four manikins, allowing more students the opportunity to utilize the simulation lab
• Three Pyxis med stations, which will give students practical experience in using medicine-dispensing machines similar to those in local clinical facilities
• Five new feeding pumps, in addition to the one current feeding pump being used by more than 300 nursing students
• Two Alex Simulaids patient simulator manikins designed to help students with the art of communication. Students practice their skills on “Alex,” a manikin programmed to answer thousands of questions for each of his preprogramed scenarios. He has cameras built into his eyes allowing professors to observe and record student interactions.
• Four obesity suits that fit onto the current skills manikins, allowing students to practice skills on bariatric patients
• Two additional vital sign machines for use in skills labs
“We are so thankful for the opportunity to receive funding from the Texas Workforce Commission’s JET grant program,” said Jodi Seal, TJC Associate Degree Nursing department chair and professor. “Healthcare equipment is expensive and continuously changing. This funding allows us the ability to provide students the opportunity to utilize the modern equipment used in local clinical facilities as well as the best training equipment you can find. It is our mission to inspire the highest level of professional nursing practice, and this grant affords us the opportunity to do just that.”
To learn more about TJC nursing and health sciences programs, go to TJC.edu/NHS.