Gov. Greg Abbott and Dwyer Workforce Development announced a $375,000 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission's Self-Sufficiency Fund to expand tuition-free healthcare workforce training across the Rio Grande Valley.

The funding will support Certified Nurse Aide training to address the region's critical need for healthcare workers, according to a news release.

The announcement came during a Tuesday graduation celebration where more than 50 students received their CNA and Certified Medication Aide certifications in McAllen.

"What you're doing is more than just a job, what you're doing is stepping into a calling, a noble calling to serve other people," Abbott said to the students. "Through your grit, through your determination, you have seized control of your own life and charted a new path for your future."

Dwyer Workforce Development has served nearly 5,500 students in Texas since 2022. The organization has partnered with Wellsential Health, Southern Careers Institute Pharr, Southern Careers Institute Brownsville, Rio Grande Valley College and Valley Grande Institute.

"This investment underscores the critical role that innovative workforce development programs play in the future of Texas," Dwyer Workforce Development CEO Barb Clapp said in a statement.

The program provides tuition-free training and case management services that address barriers such as transportation, childcare assistance and food and housing insecurity. After graduation, students receive job placement assistance and the opportunity to advance their careers through nursing school.