Greenville Board of Development Takes Home Workforce Excellence Award

Workforce development is more than just an industry phrase to the dedicated team at the Greenville Board of Development; it’s a priority-level objective that they put in action. This is why the TEDC 2026 Workforce Excellence Award was presented to the Greenville team by the Texas Economic Development Council for their commitment to workforce development and action-based programming.

What is the TEDC Workforce Excellence Award?

Each year at their Mid-Year Conference, the Texas Economic Development Council recognizes exceptional contributions by a Texas community or region that has developed and implemented successful workforce initiatives by presenting the Workforce Excellence Award. Initiatives and programs are judged based on innovativeness, transferability to other communities and teams, community commitment, leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits.

Why did Greenville win this award?

The Greenville Board of Development was bestowed the Workforce Excellence Award for its collaboration with Workforce Solutions North Central Texas and Paris Junior College to launch the Youth Career Exploration initiative. This hands-on workforce development program was created to connect education to industry, with an ultimate goal of strengthening the future talent pipeline across Greenville.

Youth Career Exploration engages students in grades 7th-12th interested in high-demand career pathways including HVAC, Mechatronics, Electrical, Aviation, EMS/EMT, Nursing, and advanced healthcare careers such as Sonography and Radiology.

“The Greenville Board of Development is focused on supporting initiatives that have a long-term impact on our community,” explains Holly Gray, Chair of the Greenville Board of Development. “Helping students access workforce training while strengthening the pipeline of skilled employees is a meaningful investment in Greenville’s continued success.

What do students experience during Youth Career Exploration?

Students from Hunt County attended the no-cost Youth Career Exploration program in 2026 from June 8th -June 11th. While attending, students rotated through interactive activities based on a wide range of technical and health/science programs.

During sessions, student participants were given the chance to work with the same equipment, labs, and simulation tools used by students at Paris Junior College who are training for these careers. 

In addition to career exploration, students were also given practical professional training they can carry with them into their future careers. These skills included:

• Resume writing
• Interview preparation
• Professional networking exercises
• Career planning sessions

Future Success Grounded in Today’s Commitment 

After receiving the TEDC Workforce Excellence Award, the Greenville Board of Development is more committed than ever to creating and supporting innovative workforce development programming and initiatives in Hunt County.

You can learn more about Greenville Board of Development programs and opportunities by clicking the link here.