Gov. Perry: Veterans are a Valuable Resource for our Communities and Labor Force

On behalf of the State of Texas, I'd like to congratulate CGI on this important occasion, as ground is broken on a facility that will soon employ 350 Texans.

Now, about that, I'd like to call up the incoming chair of the Texas Workforce Commission Andres Alcantar and also Steve Niemeier from the Board of Trustees at Temple College for a special presentation.

[ALCANTAR PRESENTS CHECK FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANT TO NIEMEIR]

This money from the TWC Skills Development Fund will go toward the creation of an IT program at Temple College, training workers to fill these technical jobs here at CGI, with a special emphasis on training returning veterans.

Texas has always enjoyed a unique bond with the U.S. military and its veterans.

We are proud to be the home state of so many who have sacrificed so much for our country, and while we can never thank them enough for their service, we sure are going to try, starting with making sure there are plenty of good jobs available for them when they come home.

Through CGI's initiative, and programs like this, we have again made strides toward fulfilling that duty.

The experiences and skills our veterans bring back from service are a valuable, and all-too-often untapped, resource for our communities and our labor force.

As CGI knows, you hire someone for their skills and ability, but also for their character, and the character of our nation's veterans is unmatched.

This investment will enable many veterans to resume their careers or start new ones.

CGI, meanwhile, gets to bring in top-flight workers with extensive training, workers who know how to get things done, and done right.

That's what's I call a clear win-win.

CGI's expansion here in Belton also helps solidify our state's growing reputation as a national hub for high-tech industries.

Whether we're talking about cutting-edge energy solutions, the latest in biotechnology or the development of state-of-the-art chip production facilities, you'll find them here in Texas.

Just down the road in Austin a few weeks ago, Apple announced a major expansion of its presence in Central Texas, more than doubling its workforce and making that campus the hub of its growing operations in the Americas.

Samsung has invested more than $3.6 billion in expanding its semiconductor operations here in Texas.

And at UT-Austin, Texas A&M, Rice, and our prospective tier one universities, Texas has invested ample resources in luring leading researchers from all corners of the world.

Our combination of brainpower and economic might has brought Texas to a unique crossroads, a place where world-class academic research can come together with a vibrant private sector and tap into a steadily-growing high-tech economy that's just scratching the surface of its potential in this state.

It's these elements that make Texas a natural fit for CGI's latest expansion.

Texas has always been a bold leader in new and developing technologies because the Texas spirit has always been one of innovation.

From the initial oil strikes of the early 20th century, through the heart of the space race against the Soviet Union, Texas, time and again, has been home to cutting-edge ideas, along with a "can-do" attitude unmatched anywhere else.

That spirit, combined with our low taxes, predictable regulations, fair courts and world-class workforce, has helped us create an economic stronghold that's been the envy of the nation the last decade and a boon for any company seeking to grow.

We also have competitive incentives in place, like the deal-closing Texas Enterprise Fund, which was instrumental in bringing CGI here to Belton.

Since its inception, the TEF has invested more than $443.4 million to bring projects generating more than 62,000 new jobs and more than $15.4 billion in capital investment to Texas.

Taken all together, that's helped us earn the title of best state to do business, according to Chief Executive Magazine for seven years running.

It's also helped us lead the nation in exports for a full decade.

And we're showing no signs of slowing down.

Once again, I thank everyone involved helping make today a reality.

Your efforts will not only reward you, but they will reward untold numbers of Texans in the months and years ahead.

May God bless you and, through you, may He continue to bless the great state of Texas.