UpSkill Waco

Program Description: 

UpSkill Waco offers free job and skills training to Waco, Texas residents who are unemployed, underemployed, or entering the workforce at age 18-24. Participants are provided with one-on-one advice and counseling to help them find the right program and eventually leverage that education for a new career. The program also runs job fairs and maintains job directories. 
 
UpSkill Waco is offered in conjunction with Texas State Technical College and McLennan Community College. The program works with local schools, job programs, nonprofits, and businesses to identify locally in-demand occupations and the training and credentials those jobs require. Programming is then designed to help participants gain relevant skills, earn industry-valued credentials, and find well-paying work. Learners who qualify are also offered tuition scholarships that cover the full cost of training. 
 
Trainings can include OSHA certification, forklift training, patient care technician training, CNA and CMAA certifications, and many others. 
 
This program patches key leaks in the education-to-workforce pipeline by not just providing learners with key skills, but helping to place them in jobs once the program is completed. 

Impact: 

UpSkill Waco participants are trained in key skills that local employers are seeking. After completing their training, participants receive help finding a job that will use their new skills. 

UpSkill Waco was selected as one of four community partnerships in the Advance Together initiative supported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. 

Population Served: 

Unemployed, underemployed residents of Waco, Texas, as well as young adults aged 18-24 who are just beginning their careers. 

Learn more here.  

Page last updated in August 2026