Target Populations
We serve all Austin-Travis County residents but have identified three populations with greater need/opportunity based on local data. This additional focus helps us strategically improve areas of service within our Hire Local Plan. An individual can be in multiple target populations.
1. PLACE-BASED FOCUS
Eastern Crescent, Manor, and Del Valle; Inclusive of City of Austin Districts 1, 2, and 3
Select supporting data:
- Manor and Del Valle are inclusive in the Eastern Crescent, which includes the below Austin Districts and zip codes:
- Austin District 1 (East Austin): 78653, 78701, 78702, 78712, 78721, 78722, 78723, 78724, 78725, 78752, 78753, 78754
- Austin District 2 (Del Valle area): 78617, 78719, 78744, 78745, 78747, and 78748
- Austin District 3 (Lower East Austin): 78702, 78704, 78721, 78725, 78741, 78742, and 78745
- According to recent data from the City of Austin Planning Department and Census data:
- Although migration has long been a major contributor of growth to the Austin region, recent figures show slower growth coming from domestic migration. For the first time in 20 years, in 2023, more people moved out of Travis County than moved in.
- Areas of Travis County with the greatest population growth are mostly located in suburban areas.
- Austin suburbs are among the nation’s fastest growing in 2023. Manor ranked #44 with a 6.3% population growth.
- Anecdotally, local elected officials and Workforce Solutoins Capital Area (WFS) board members have mentioned desire for WFS presence in Manor and Del Valle, especially relevant as WFS considers expanding its co-location options.
- WFS employment and demographic data support are high rate of service for individuals in this area.
- 5 of the 7 child care desert zip codes in Capital Area are in the Eastern Crescent
- According to the Children At Risk Child Care Deserts Map, 5 of the 7 child care desert zip codes in Capital Area are in the Eastern Crescent.
- 78742 zip code has 0 child care seats per 100 children of working parents.
- 78725 zip code has 11 child care seats per 100 children of working parents.
- 78724 zip code has 18 child care seats per 100 children of working parents.
- 78741 zip code has 19 child care seats per 100 children of working parents.
- 78752 zip code has 33 child care seats per 100 children of working parents.
2. YOUTH (AGES 16-24)
Not just “opportunity youth;” includes in-school youth; Special emphasis on young people with disabilities
Select supporting data:
- Ages 16-24 is the second lowest age range Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS) serves, and can be inclusive of adults. This age range has experienced an uptick over the last three years—WFS has served an additional 100+ each year.
- WFS’ Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth funding tends to be around $2.3 million for a two-year period, which is $2.2 million less than WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funding combined. However, opportunities exist to stretch Youth funding by co-enrolling into WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker programs.
- Young parents with children in child care have shown income growth up to 20% above the Federal Poverty Line when compared to young parents who do not place their child in care. (National Institutes of Health, using data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort)
- Young Texans aged 16-24 are crucial to not only our workforce but our economic future, yet 13.1% are neither in school nor working. (Children at Risk, 2024)
- According to data from Senate District Profiles and House District Profiles, Texas House Districts 14, 21, and 25 see the following numbers of “disconnected” youth (not in school or working):
- District 46: 1,642 disconnected youth
- District 49: 1,235 disconnected youth
- District 50: 1,802 disconnected youth
- District 51: 1,495 disconnected youth
- According to data from Senate District Profiles and House District Profiles, Texas House Districts 14, 21, and 25 see the following numbers of “disconnected” youth (not in school or working):
3. VETERANS
Receive WFS priority services
Select supporting data:
- Programmatically, WFS has served 110 veterans over a three-year period. Employment-wise, WFS has served 4,298 veterans over a three-year period.
- Employers have a high interest in hiring veterans, and more coordinated, intentional work could be done to inform veterans of available WFS services.
Give your input: Enter comments below. If you’re comfortable, please also note the organization you represent.
Parents should be an additional target population. Many of the parents enrolled in training opportunities in our area are above the age of 24, and very few resources are allocated to that population. When we support parents, we support the next generation as well.
We need to be willing to retrain seniors for jobs that don’t require physical labor. We are being forced to wait until we’re 67.5 to retire now. We are dependable capable and in need of work to bridge that gap between 62 and 67.5 please help us.
It can sometimes be confusing how to best connect adults in the Eastern Crescent to WFS–particularly for paid training opportunities. Clarity on the referral process for thei first targeted population would be helpful.
I am part of the United Way 2-Gen coalition and something we’ve talked about is how parents over 24 could benefit from being a standalone target population. When you support parents, you support children/area youth as well.
It would be great to have parents (even those above 24) as a target population. Policies that support parents are usually good for non-parents also. In addition, when parents have stable employment, their children also benefit.
Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, and its prevalence is increasing. In 1970, one in 2,000 people in the U.S. was diagnosed with autism. Today’s estimate is 1 in 36. Most young adults with autism and other related neurodivergent conditions need specific, individualized accommodations, as well as, additional time and training to develop the life, job, and social skills necessary for increased independence. Offering these services through a coordinated effort increases the potential of these people and benefits the community-at-large by helping to prevent isolation, unemployment or underemployment while also creating strong new pool of employees. Central Texas is filled with employment opportunities that often play to the strengths of neurodivergent people, especially in the areas of logistics, software testing, infrastructure, and digital design. I don’t know the numbers for Travis County, but only 26% of adults with autism in Texas achieve successful employment, ranking it 5th worst in the nation, and Texas has the 2nd largest and fastest growing population in the United States of transition-aged adults with autism. Austin can and must do better than it currently is.