After co-founding a network of college-preparatory public charter schools in the 1990s, education reformer Mike Feinberg has pivoted toward addressing what he sees as a critical gap in America’s education landscape: vocational training.
“We collectively shamed vo-tech out of high schools, which was a terrible mistake,” Feinberg reflects. “We basically told kids and parents that if you want to be successful, you have to go to college.”
This realization prompted Feinberg to establish Texas School Venture Fund in 2018, focusing on specialized educational models beyond traditional college prep. The organization has since launched several initiatives, including Neighborhood Schools, Neighborhood Preschools, and WorkTexas.
The trade school program offers tuition-free training in high-demand fields like welding, electrical work, HVAC, and medical assistance. What distinguishes WorkTexas is its employer-driven curriculum and five-year graduate follow-up commitment.
“We are employer-focused,” Feinberg explains. “We follow our students who were trained for at least five years to help them not just get the job, but keep the job and advance in careers.”
The program’s emphasis on soft skills alongside technical training addresses employers’ consistent feedback that reliability, communication, and teamwork often outweigh technical proficiency in importance.
WorkTexas partners with multiple community organizations to provide wraparound services addressing housing, transportation, and childcare needs. This comprehensive approach particularly benefits the juvenile justice system participants in Project Remix Ventures, where employment opportunities are integrated with educational services.
By creating what Feinberg calls a “sandbox where different groups can all work together,” his initiatives demonstrate how educational innovation can simultaneously address workforce shortages and create sustainable career pathways for underserved communities.