Texas is a global powerhouse, and Houston is the welcoming committee for many companies looking to settle in the Lone Star State. The strength of our workforce is one key issue that continues to drive economic growth. Lawmakers are looking to increase the pool of homegrown talent through House Bill 120 (HB 120). This comprehensive reform bill will increase funding for career advising, strengthen programs that prepare graduating seniors for careers, and boost funding for facilities that expand career educational programs in public schools. The Partnership is supporting HB 120 this session. Here’s a look at the bill and key areas of interest in workforce development: High School Advising Program Establishes a program for districts and charter schools to provide college and career advising. Requires partnerships with institutions of higher education or workforce organizations. Limits advisors to a caseload of 200 students, prioritizing grades 11 and 12. Introduces a funding allotment of $50,000 per full-time equivalent advisor. Gradually reduces funding after five years unless districts meet performance benchmarks. Funding Changes for Career Programs Allows funding to support high school graduates for up to two years in postsecondary education or vocational training. Increases funding for students in P-TECH and New Tech Network schools from $50 to $150 per student. Provides additional funding for students enrolled in dual credit programs post-graduation. New Facilities Funding Expands definition to include facilities renovated for high-cost, undersubscribed career and technical education programs. Increases funding cap from $100 million to $150 million. Expands Eligibility for Rural Programs Allows districts to continue participation regardless of enrollment size. Expands retirement system eligibility for employees of coordinating entities. Modifies grant funding allocation and eligibility for performance agreements. Requires R-PEP partnerships to offer specific career pathways, including computer programming and skilled trades. Military Pathway Grant Program Establishes a grant program for school districts to implement JROTC programs. Requires districts to administer the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test annually. Provides career counseling based on ASVAB results. Grants are set at $50,000 per district, with a total funding cap of $2 million annually. Because of the variety of programs and funding changes, lawmakers are proposing a phased-in approach to gradually implement these programs through 2027. Contingency funding will be included in the budget proposals that have yet to receive a floor vote in either chamber. Both HB 120 and the General Appropriations Act (Senate Bill 1) must pass for these reforms to be fully implemented. The Partnership is also supporting Senate Bill 1826 by Sen. Charles Schwertner, which is also designed to strengthen Career and Technical Education programs in Texas. For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.   

[PRESS RELEASE Provided by Radix] HOUSTON, Jan. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Radix, a global technology solutions company at the forefront of industrial digital transformation, and Celanese, a global chemical and specialty material company, are proud to collaborate with Cognite, the global leader in data and AI for industry, on the development of JO.AI, a groundbreaking generative AI-powered solution designed to revolutionize operations in asset-intensive industries. Born from the successful development and implementation at Celanese by Radix through their engineering intelligence expertise – and powered by Cognite Data Fusion®, the market-leading DataOps and AI platform for enterprise-scale, complex industrial data management projects – JO.AI is poised to redefine how industrial manufacturers leverage data for enhanced productivity and operational excellence at scale. JO.AI will be showcased at the upcoming ARC Industry Leadership Forum 2025 taking place in Orlando, Florida, from February 10-13 under the theme "On the Ground: Accelerate. Optimize. Scale." Radix will showcase and discuss how the powerful industrial solution is optimizing the future of smart digital manufacturing, directly addressing the challenges faced across industries such as Energy, Chemical, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Power Generation & Distribution, Pulp & Paper, and Metals, Mining & Minerals. Industrial manufacturers often struggle to unlock the full potential of their data, even with the presence of data aggregators. JO.AI solves this problem by acting as an advanced Industrial Copilot, enabling intuitive, natural language interaction with the Industrial Knowledge Graph provided by Cognite Data Fusion® to make complex data easier to access and action into intelligence tailored specifically for the process industry. JO.AI leverages Cognite Data Fusion’s unmatched data management and comprehensive AI infrastructure to enable the Gen AI application to carry out more complex operations with greater accuracy. With Cognite Data Fusion® as its backbone, JO.AI combines operational insights with pre-trained AI agents focused on specific process use cases. "AI has proven to be a valuable business catalyst in today’s dynamic manufacturing landscape, offering unparalleled opportunities for optimization and innovation," said Sameer Purao, Senior Vice President and CIO at Celanese. "We developed JO.AI – in collaboration with Radix, on top of the robust data foundation provided by Cognite Data Fusion® – to harness the power of AI to improve efficiency, reduce costs and elevate overall productivity. Additionally, AI enables smart production through real-time data analysis, facilitating data-driven decisions, process optimization and swift response to market demand. Incorporating AI into our manufacturing operations is not just a technological advancement, but also a competitive advantage." "Digital transformation, especially with AI-powered solutions, is only as strong as the data foundation it’s built upon," said Bill Hendricks, President of Cognite Americas. "Cognite accelerates time-to-value by enabling seamless integration and management of complex industrial data, providing the essential infrastructure for innovative applications like JO.AI. Working alongside a forward-thinking partner like Radix, who shares our commitment to pushing the boundaries of industrial innovation, we empower organizations to unlock unprecedented value from their data and drive real operational impact." JO.AI empowers operators and engineers in four key areas: 1. Optimized Operator Rounds: JO.AI provides insights that ensure operations teams are focusing their rounds on the right checklists. 2. Data-Driven Checklist Management: It recommends the optimal frequency of checklist items, identifies areas with high-volume issues, and highlights deviations. 3. Balanced Workload: JO.AI helps ensure that the checklist workload is appropriate for each shift. 4. Streamlined Maintenance: The solution facilitates maintenance and work notification opportunities, recommending resource plans and even assisting operators in writing work orders. "JO.AI represents a significant leap forward in the application of AI for industrial settings and asset intensive industries," said Alex Clausbruch, CEO of Radix North America. "By combining Radix's expertise in AI and software development with Celanese's deep industry knowledge, we've created a solution that not only addresses the current challenges of data utilization but also unlocks new levels of efficiency and optimization. We believe JO.AI will be a game-changer for asset-intensive industries." "The development of JO.AI is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation," added Justin Conroy, Vice President, Digital Product Portfolio at Radix. "We've worked closely with Celanese to ensure that JO.AI meets the specific needs of industrial operators worldwide. This solution is not just about technology; it's about empowering people and teams with the insights they need to make better decisions and drive real business value." Radix will be participating as a Gold Sponsor at the ARC Leadership Forum 2025 in Orlando next month with several opportunities to engage with industry leaders, customers, partners and learn more about JO.AI and its capabilities. About Radix Founded in 2010, Radix is a privately held global technology solutions company providing consulting, engineering, operations technology, and data and software technology solutions. Radix combines key capabilities and practices to empower customers to thrive along their digital transformation journey. Radix provides technology-based, data-driven solutions to industrial and non-industrial companies worldwide. Radix has experience leading projects in more than 30 countries and has more than 1,700+ employees around the globe, with North American headquarters in Houston, Texas, main headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, additional offices in Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, and a presence in Singapore and Amsterdam. To learn more, visit www.radixeng.com. About Celanese Celanese is a global leader in chemistry, producing specialty material solutions used across most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use our chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees and shareholders. We are committed to sustainability by responsibly managing the materials we create for their entire lifecycle and are growing our portfolio of sustainable products to meet increasing customer and societal demand. We strive to make a positive impact in our communities and to foster inclusivity across our teams. Celanese is a Fortune 500 company that employs approximately 12,400 employees worldwide with 2023 net sales of $10.9 billion. About Cognite Cognite makes Generative AI work for industry. Leading energy, manufacturing, and power & renewables enterprises choose Cognite to deliver secure, trustworthy, and real-time data to transform their asset-heavy operations to be safer, more sustainable, and more profitable. Cognite provides a user-friendly, secure, and scalable platform that makes it easy for all decision-makers, from the field to remote operations centers, to access and understand complex industrial data, collaborate in real time, and build a better tomorrow. Visit us at www.cognite.ai and follow us on LinkedIn and X.