HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – As families across Harris County struggle with rising housing, food and health care costs, county leaders are pointing residents toward apprenticeship programs and safety-net services designed to help them earn more and access care.
Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Leslie Briones said the county is focused on providing immediate assistance while creating longer-term pathways to financial stability.
“Affordability is what everyone is wrestling with,” Briones said. “Folks are struggling to buy groceries, to pay the rent, and it’s getting more and more difficult.”
One of the county’s workforce initiatives is its Apprenticeship Advantage program, which allows participants to learn a trade while earning a wage and gaining a direct connection to employment.
The program works with the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO on trade apprenticeships, including construction, elevator mechanics, pipefitting and electrical work. The county also partners with Empower, which offers pathways into technology-related careers, Briones said.
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The program is open to people entering the workforce, veterans, people returning to work and those looking to improve their skills, she said.
For Vanessa Guerra, the program provided an alternative to a traditional four-year college degree. Guerra graduated from high school in 2022 and was working at a convenience store when she learned about apprenticeship through Facebook.
She is now a third-year union insulator apprentice earning $26 an hour, compared with the $10-an-hour wage she earned previously, she said.
“Every year I got a raise,” Guerra said. “I’m earning and learning. That’s what I really like.”
Guerra’s apprenticeship is a four-year program. She works while attending school and plans to earn her journeyman license after completing the program.
She encouraged people who are unsure about entering a trade to take a chance, even if they have no prior experience.
“If you think that you’ll like it, take a risk and join,” Guerra said. “It will help you out a lot in your future.”
Briones said Harris County also is trying to lead by example. The county’s minimum wage for its employees is $20 an hour, while the minimum wage for county contract workers is $21.65 an hour, she said.
“One job should be enough,” Briones said, recalling that her parents often worked multiple jobs when she was growing up.
The county’s affordability efforts also include health care. Harris Health operates Ben Taub Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and community clinics that provide care to vulnerable residents.
Briones said Harris County Public Health offers free vaccinations throughout the year. At Bayland Community Center, the county has partnered with Baylor College of Medicine to provide free wellness visits, sick visits, immunizations and mental health services for people ages 13 to 26.
The county also works with Memorial Hermann to bring a mobile unit into communities for women’s health exams. A mobile dental unit provides free services in neighborhoods across the county, Briones said.
Briones said the programs are intended to help residents who may be forced to choose between medical bills and basic necessities.
“If you’re choosing between feeding your children dinner and paying a doctor bill, that’s survival mode,” she said.
The county also is investing in affordable housing, eviction diversion and legal aid, as well as food access. At La Tiendita, a small grocery store at Bayland Community Center, residents can receive free food, nutrition counseling and educational resources through a partnership with the Tejano Center, Briones said.
Briones urged residents to contact Harris County Precinct 4 to learn more about available resources, including apprenticeships, health care, food assistance and exercise classes.
“Those resources exist,” she said. “We are here to serve, and we want to help.”
