Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has awarded the Austin Community College District a $98,860 grant to help prepare students for the fast-growing automotive technology field of alternative fuels. The funding is part of $3.84 million in equipment grants given to 22 Texas community colleges.

ACC will use the grant to purchase hybrid vehicles, training tools, and other equipment for a new automotive alternative fuels course. Students will learn about alternatives to traditional gas-powered vehicles, including electric hybrids, biodiesel fuel, and flex fuel vehicles.

“As alternative fuel vehicles become an increasingly larger percentage of cars on the road, ACC must prepare students to safely and effectively repair those vehicles,” says Robert Pelham, an associate professor in ACC’s automotive technology department. “This grant will have a profound effect on our ability to teach students about new and rapidly changing green automotive technology and will give us the opportunity to be a leading alternative fuels trainer.”

The comptroller’s office says the grant money comes from the Job Building Fund, which helps Texans get technical training for careers in high-demand occupations.