Del Mar College Receives $444,830 TRUE Grant to Expand Accelerated Healthcare Training Programs
Award will support training for 100 students, including 30 in Aransas County, in Certified Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomy Technician and Medical Administrative Assistant programs
Article by: Richard Guerrero, Jr.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A new grant award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will allow Del Mar College (DMC) to expand accelerated healthcare training programs throughout the Coastal Bend.
DMC has been awarded a $444,830 Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Grant to expand access to three training programs across the Coastal Bend region: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Phlebotomy Technician and Medical Administrative Assistant programs.
The two-year grant, which runs from Dec. 1, 2026, through Dec. 1, 2028, will support training for 100 students in high-demand healthcare occupations, including 40 CNA students, 40 Phlebotomy Technician students and 20 Medical Administrative Assistant students.
According to Rachel Benavides, Dean of Continuing and Community Education, 30 of those training opportunities have been designated for participants at the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center–Aransas County in Rockport. Open registration for the programs is scheduled to begin Jan. 5, 2027.
According to labor market data provided by Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend, more than 3,600 positions exist across these healthcare occupations in the Coastal Bend region.
The programs will provide industry credentials that can be earned in six months or less with some training pathways completed in as little as six to 12 weeks. Regional average wages for these occupations range from $16.10 to $18.42 per hour.
By expanding access to accelerated, flexible healthcare training, Del Mar College is responding to critical workforce needs across the Coastal Bend, including course offerings at our newest off-campus site, the Workforce Development Center–Aransas County. This grant will create new opportunities for residents to enter rewarding healthcare careers.
The initiative is designed to increase accessibility for working adults and underserved residents through face-to-face, online, hybrid, evening and weekend course options. The College will also expand employer engagement efforts to connect students with practical training experiences and employment opportunities. Partnerships supporting the initiative include Corpus Christi Medical Center, HCA Gulf Coast, Windsor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital.
"Through shorter training pathways, flexible class schedules, hands-on instruction and stronger employer partnerships, we are making career-focused education more accessible and aligning our programs with the evolving needs of the healthcare industry," Benavides said.
The grant will fund three new positions, including a full-time Career Navigator, a full-time instructor dedicated to open enrollment programs and a part-time data clerk. These positions will help support student recruitment, retention, data tracking and workforce placement efforts.
During the grant period, Del Mar College aims to achieve a 90% program completion rate, support 85 to 90 credential earners and assist at least 70 graduates in securing employment or continuing their healthcare education within six months of program completion.
The Coordinating Board’s TRUE Grant Program supports the goals of the state’s strategic plan for higher education, Building a Talent Strong Texas, through the creation, expansion or redesign of workforce education and training credential programs in high-demand occupations. The College’s current TRUE Grant award is the fifth that DMC Continuing Education has received to meet the state’s goals and the in-demand workforce needs across the Coastal Bend.
About Del Mar College’s Certified Nursing Assistant Program
Del Mar College’s Certified Nursing Assistant Program enrolled 89 students during the 2025-2026 academic year and awarded 88 certificates to 88 graduates. The program prepares students for careers in healthcare occupations that support employers throughout the Coastal Bend. Learn more at delmar.edu/ce/healthcare/cna/index.html.
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.