Monday Feb 10, 2025

Mike Feinberg: Pioneering Skills-Based Education in Texas

In an era where traditional higher education costs continue to soar, Mike Feinberg is charting a different path. As co-founder of WorkTexas, Feinberg has developed an innovative approach to vocational training that’s helping both young people and adults secure sustainable careers in high-demand trades.

Reimagining Trade Education

When Feinberg launched WorkTexas in 2020, he had a clear vision: create a program that would directly connect skills-based training with employer needs. The Houston-based initiative operates from two locations, including the flagship store of Gallery Furniture and The Opportunity Center, which serves students involved in the justice system.

“Technical skills are about 30% of what employers want,” Feinberg explains. “The other 70% all say the exact same thing — they need people who can get to work on time and work on a team.” This insight has shaped WorkTexas’s unique curriculum, which combines technical training with essential workplace skills.

The program has expanded significantly since its inception. What began with courses in electrical work, welding, carpentry, and auto tech has grown to include plumbing, HVAC maintenance, commercial truck driving, and culinary skills training. This growth reflects direct input from more than 100 partner companies that help shape the curriculum based on their workforce needs.

Building Bridges to Sustainable Careers

WorkTexas stands apart from traditional vocational programs in several key ways. Through grants and scholarships, most participants can attend for free, removing a significant barrier to entry. The program also maintains a strong focus on long-term success, tracking graduates for up to five years after completion.

“We make a commitment to follow our students for at least five years,” Feinberg says. “We’re interested in what that looks like, in terms of career contentment, and especially in terms of earning power and creating sustainable lives for themselves, their families, and future generations.”

The results speak for themselves. According to recent data, approximately 70% of program graduates have secured new jobs or better positions with their employers through the training they received. These outcomes reflect WorkTexas’s employer-centric approach, which ensures that training directly aligns with real job opportunities.

One success story Feinberg shares involves a program graduate who started in construction classes and rapidly advanced to become a regional manager for a major homebuilding company. “She went from not knowing how she was going to support her family to making six digits,” he notes.

This focus on measurable outcomes distinguishes WorkTexas from other training programs. While many institutions track completion rates, Feinberg’s organization measures success by employment and career advancement. “A more important question is, of those people who got jobs, a year later, how many are still advancing careers?” he emphasizes.

As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve, WorkTexas represents a promising model for skills-based training that prioritizes both technical proficiency and workplace readiness. Through its comprehensive approach to vocational education, the program is helping to bridge the gap between training and employment while creating pathways to sustainable careers for Houston residents.

By maintaining strong partnerships with employers and focusing on long-term career success, Mike Feinberg and WorkTexas are demonstrating how vocational education can be reimagined to meet the needs of both workers and employers in today’s rapidly changing job market.

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