FULL INTERVIEW: Governor Abbott discusses Texas workforce, more in Levelland

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Governor Greg Abbott gave KCBD’s Madeleine Hall an exclusive interview following his tour and media conference at South Plains College in Levelland.

He was there touring the school’s automotive technology and welding facilities as he discussed how it relates to the future of the Texas Jobs Council.

“When I was a kid the pathway was everyone should go to a university. To be honest, that’s not really for everybody,” Governor Abbott said. “We want to put [students] on a pathway where they can get the skills they need to get a high paying job immediately out of high school or a two year program like this one.”

The Governor said the main goal of the Texas Jobs Council is to have Texans first in line for new jobs coming to the state, and technical programs like those of SPC will help ensure the new workers are prepared.

“They focus on outcomes here, which is the most important thing; kids aren’t coming here wasting their time, not getting a job,” Abbott said. “Kids come here, they get the training they need, and they get a good paying job.”

Governor Abbott says the Council will adjust its focus as the workforce moves toward modernization and AI-reliance.

“That process will continue to evolve and change where new strategies are needed by our students,” Abbott said. “That’s what we gain out of the Council: we’re able to more accurately calibrate how many jobs are needed in which category.”

On the topic of modernization, we asked the governor how he balances industry and business development like that of Artificial Intelligence across the state and the heritage of rural areas and family land.

“We have to be respectful of rural Texas and its heritage” Abbott said. “They don’t want to have data centers in their backyard and they don’t have to. What we are doing right know, we’re listening to the concerns of rural Texas and we’re working on solutions to make sure those concerns are addressed.”

As Governor Abbott celebrates the expansion of industry across the state and the growth it brings to the economy, though, some industry leaders tell us they feel pushed out.

We asked the governor about where he sees the future of THC in Texas as legislators like State Senator Charles Perry plan to write and support another ban.

“Safety is the first issue here. We want to make sure minors will be safe by not being able to purchase or obtain the product. We want to make sure adults are safe by not having products that were laced with other dangerous products on top of it,” Abbott said.

“We had to have a regulatory system in place and that doesn’t pay for itself. Just like with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, participants in the sale of [alcohol] pay for the funding to police the industry. We have to have the revenue to hire the inspectors and the enforcers to make sure everybody is following the rules,” Abbott said.

THC and the Texas Job Council will both play a part in the 90th legislative session. KCBD will continue to follow those topics.