4-minute read
Happy Easter Austin friends,
In this edition: A progress report of our RE:WorkNOW rapid training program, an Austin manufacturing job posting analysis showing an increase in semiconductor manufacturing demand, and how we’re filling the talent gap through our job training programs.
- On our radar: President Joe Biden unveiled the $2T American Jobs Plan Wednesday, part of his Build Back Better agenda, which aims to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, create well-paying, high-quality jobs, and make other domestic investments.
- The infrastructure package calls for $100B to strengthen workforce training programs as well as billions of dollars to repair the nation’s schools and community colleges.
🎙️“Our customers are forecasting significant growth over the next one to two calendar years. So the work is there … it’s already on the books. All we have to do is meet the increased demand that our customers have asked us to do. Right now, the No. 1 challenge is our workforce.” — Bill Johnson, founder of Athena Manufacturing LP. Read more.
In partnership, Tamara.
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📈 Progress Report: Strong employment outcomes through RE:WorkNOW rapid training program
While Austin metro unemployment is still 2x pre-pandemic levels, we see strong employment outcomesthrough our RE:WorkNOW rapid training program model.
- RE:WorkNOW Phase 1 was launchedto help 260 lower-income, unemployed workers use this difficult time to retrain safely for new jobs in local companies which are rapidly adding payroll.
- Courses are fast-tracked, offered at no cost, and eligible participants can get paid to train.
- The City of Austin and Travis County used $3.1M in CARES Act money and general funds to fund it through September.
The big picture: In the pandemic era, WFS is experiencing a 10-fold increase in demand for our training offerings.
- Yes, but: We have been working to meet demand. Since RE:WorkNOW launched in October, we enrolled more people in training in four months than we typically accomplish in one year.
First 150 days of RE:WorkNOW: As of March 24,
- 585 engaged in our training pipeline;
- 184 started training;
- 66 completed training; and
- 28 found employment.
- More than half of those who have completed or are in training are people of color, in line with WFS’ other training programs.
Key employment outcomes:
Note: Wage data reflects 12 of the 28 grads who found employment (in the process of verifying the rest)
- The average wage increase for RE:WorkNOW graduates who found employment is over $20K.
- The average post-program wage is $30,347 per year.
- The immediate wage increase for employed completers is 100%.
- Every training graduate who found employment was unemployed before they entered the program.
Of note: WFS serves homeless individuals at a historic rate with a high pre-COVID employment rate for this population.
- We served 631 homeless individuals from June 2018 – July 2019 through all of our services. That’s 10% of our total customers served.
🔄 Please use our RE:WorkNOW Brand Kit to help spread the word about our no-cost, safe, and rapid training opportunities.
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Austin’s semiconductor manufacturing sector leads the new year with an above-average hiring demand
To gauge ongoing local talent demand of our historically high-growth manufacturing sector,we conducted a job posting analysis for Austin manufacturing’s five major industries, looking at the last five years.
Our takeaways:
- There was volatility last year in the manufacturing industries, primarily with computer and peripheral equipment job postings, which includes larger companies like Dell.
- In 2020, many manufacturers experienced layoffs and hiring freezes to minimize the pandemic’s cost on these industries.
- But in 2021, there’s an above-average uptick of job ads, especially for semiconductor and other electronic equipment component manufacturing.
- This industry includes companies like Advanced Microdevices, Applied Materials, and Intel Corporation.
❗ Bottom line: Austin is recovering and opportunities are available now — if you have the skills.
- Further investment in our high-demand training programs will yield benefits for future generations.
Worth your time:
- A JobsEQ projection over the next decade shows Austin’s ten most in-demand trade and manufacturing occupations will be short 2,830 skilled workers, which does not take into account new jobs from more recent developments like the Tesla Gigafactory.
- Tesla will need more than 10,000 employees in the Austin area by next year, double its original estimate of jobs created at its rising factory in Travis County.
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The Certified Production Technician Training program — offered through RE:WorkNOW — is a 100% virtual, safe, no-cost training coordinated by the Central Texas Manufacturing Partnership.
Eligible students take online classes with Austin Community College and Skillpoint Alliance, with an optional component held in-person safely.
- Upon completion, graduates receive a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates to employers that they have the knowledge and skills needed for a manufacturing assembly job.
- Workforce Solutions helps graduates find work with one of the many local companies in this high-demand industry, including Samsung Austin Semiconductor.
- Entry-level technicians can expect to earn $15-20 an hour with opportunities for advancement and further training.
The next training will be held April 26 – June 4 (Monday – Friday) virtually through Skillpoint Alliance.
- Register here. Please share this opportunity with your constituents.