Mike Feinberg Creates Alternative Pathways to Career Success

In Houston’s rapidly evolving job market, educational innovator Mike Feinberg is pioneering a new approach to workforce development through skills-based training programs that serve both young people and adults seeking career opportunities.

Feinberg, whose career in education began with Teach for America in 1991, observed a troubling trend during his years leading college preparatory schools: many students were accumulating debt without completing degrees, while others never explored trades that might have better matched their interests and aptitudes.

“There’s a third of kids who took out debt, didn’t finish college, and are working at Starbucks with six-figure loans,” says the workforce development specialist. “We did a lot of good work, but we also screwed this up.”

This realization led to the creation of WorkTexas in 2020, which offers free training in trades ranging from electrical work and welding to commercial truck driving and medical assistance. The program now operates from two Houston locations, providing daytime instruction for high school students and evening classes for adults.

What differentiates WorkTexas from similar initiatives is its employer-focused curriculum and comprehensive support system. The program maintains relationships with graduates for five years, providing ongoing coaching and assistance with challenges that might derail employment success.

“Job coaching can be technical job coaching or it can also turn into therapy at times,” Feinberg notes, emphasizing that employment stability requires addressing multiple life factors.

Through partnerships with organizations addressing food security, healthcare, and housing needs, WorkTexas has created what Feinberg calls a “symbiotic relationship” where various support services collaborate toward sustainable employment outcomes.

With average starting wages around $19 per hour for graduates, the program demonstrates how targeted vocational training can create viable alternatives to traditional higher education while addressing critical workforce shortages.