Denton, TX: Where Workforce Growth Meets Workforce Development

On August 26, 2026, The Dallas Business Journal hosted the first annual Denton County Growth Summit on the campus of the University of North Texas (UNT). This event brought together local community, educational, and business leaders to discuss the phenomenal growth of Denton County and how that growth is affecting the workforce. The Denton Economic Development Partnership (the EDP) is actively involved in assisting businesses and investors who are looking to tap into this workforce growth in Northeast Texas.

What makes Denton’s workforce stand out?

Current U.S. Census data shows that Denton County is home to 1,069,376 residents, which is an 18% growth from 2020. The volume of this labor pool alone is significant for the region. In the city of Denton, the EDP reports 80,572 workers aged 16 and older. As impressive as these numbers are, what truly makes Denton stand out for prospective employers is the quality of workers when you consider that 91.6% of Denton residents have completed high school and an incredible 41.7% of Denton residents age 25+ have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

At the recent Denton County Growth Summit, UNT President Harrison Keller shared that preparing students for the workforce means helping ensure their education translates into successful careers. This is exactly what the data shows happening in Denton.

Which educational institutions contribute to Denton’s workforce?

Denton is uniquely positioned to benefit from a dynamic educational pipeline as several quality educational institutions are located in Denton.

University of North Texas offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs and provides North Texas employers with talent in areas including engineering, technology, business, logistics, and the sciences.

“We don’t just train 18- to 22-year-olds differently,” shares UNT President Harrison Keller when asked how UNT is preparing students for the local workforce. “We will need to upskill and reskill our incumbent workforce, and UNT is committed to being a partner in that.”

Also located in Denton is Texas Woman’s University (TWU), which is particularly known for nursing and health sciences and reports that it graduates more new healthcare professionals than any other university in Texas. TWU’s presence in Denton is especially significant as supplying the region with qualified healthcare professionals was identified at the Denton Growth Summit as a crucial workforce development initiative. Medical City Denton CEO Steven Edgar shared that recruiting and developing healthcare workers is essential to keeping pace with demand in the region.

For those looking for vocational training and two-year educational options. Denton is also home to North Central Texas College. Its career and technical education, health sciences, continuing education, and workforce training programs provide pathways into occupations such as nursing, IT, business, welding, and other skilled fields.

What types of workforce development does the EDP provide?

The EDP offers a wide range of workforce development programs and services to support local employers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.

These include:

• Internships
• Networking events
• Provider referrals
• Labor market data collection
• Expansion grants

How can the EDP help employers with the hiring process?

The economic development team at the EDP has created several options to help local employers with hiring and workforce development. These services and platforms serve to connect employers with qualified job seekers in the area and properly train those employees to become successful.

These programs include:

• Online job platforms
• Job fair assistance
• Mobile Workforce Unit
• On-the-job training 
• Subsidized work employment 
• Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Are there workforce development programs for employers in Denton?

The EDP realizes that helping employers find and hire the right employees is not the end of the process. There is often a training component also necessary to ensure that the workforce in Denton can perform at the required level employers are seeking. This is why the EDP also provides workforce training programs which include:

• Skills Development Fund
• Skills for Small Businesses 
• Critical Skills Initiative 
• Adult Education and Literacy

If you would like to learn more about workforce development programming and initiatives in Denton, TX, please contact the Denton Economic Development Partnership today.