Mike Feinberg Takes Fresh Approach to Job Training in Houston

Mike Feinberg’s latest innovation in education isn’t taking place in a traditional classroom. Through WorkTexas, launched in 2020, he’s creating a new model for workforce development that combines intensive skills training with practical support services.

Understanding that successful employment requires more than technical knowledge, Feinberg developed a program that addresses real-world challenges. “A lot of people we train are one flat tire away from disaster,” he explains. “We can help everyone get a job based on their training; but you’re not going to do well in your job if you’re homeless or hungry, or your car stops working.”

This insight shapes WorkTexas’s comprehensive approach: an intensive 11-week program providing 170 hours of training, complemented by essential support services including childcare solutions for more than 60 children. The program’s employer-focused curriculum reflects Feinberg’s mission “to help people get jobs, keep jobs, advance careers.”

Perhaps most innovative is Feinberg’s creation of what he calls a “sandbox” for community collaboration. “The people who are working on food, housing and physical health realize their work can only truly make a huge impact if people wind up having a sustainable career — [and] stop needing those services at some point down the road,” he notes. Operating from locations at Gallery Furniture and the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department’s Opportunity Center, Feinberg’s program demonstrates how comprehensive support can create sustainable career pathways.

Mike Feinberg’s latest innovation in education isn’t taking place in a traditional classroom. Through WorkTexas, launched in 2020, he’s creating a new model for workforce development that combines intensive skills training with practical support services. Understanding that successful employment requires more than technical knowledge, Feinberg developed a program that addresses real-world challenges. “A lot of…