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Child care scholarships, after-school care and other efforts are underway to grow a voter-approved initiative to provide more affordable child care for low-income families in Travis County.
In 2024, voters approved increasing the county’s tax rate to generate $75 million for Raising Travis County. So far, the county has awarded more than $28 million to the Workforce Solutions Capital Area nonprofit as well as local school districts and other community organizations.
Texas State University’s Department of Nursing completed their 4th Annual Study Abroad Panama Service-Learning experience in January. Twenty-two students and three nursing faculty members spent 10 days in rural Panama, engaging in meaningful, hands-on community work.
During the trip, students conducted community assessments, participated in clinic days hosted in schools across remote areas, and delivered health education sessions—known locally as charlas—for families and Community Health Workers (CHWs). A particularly impactful aspect of the experience was student involvement in CHW education, helping to support sustainable improvements in community health.
Over the course of the program, students connected with more than 200 community members and provided training for 10 CHWs. Educational topics included first aid, diabetes management, breastfeeding, hypertension, oral hygiene, and other essential health concerns.
This immersive experience not only strengthened students’ clinical and cultural competencies but also contributed to lasting health benefits within the communities served.
In June, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the Austin area currently has about $25 billion in infrastructure projects, including expansions of I-35 and the city’s airport. The mayor said about 10,000 people per year are needed to fill those jobs. However, Watson said if leaders allowed people to be trained for those jobs organically without additional training efforts, they’d only be about 4,000 people short.
The Austin community college system has partnered with the city and local nonprofits to boost skills training opportunities for Austinites. For instance, the Infrastructure Academy, a public-private partnership between the city, Workforce Solutions Capital Development, and ACC, provides job training for the infrastructure and mobility sector as Austin embarks on major construction projects.
Nayelly Granillo-Rios ’26 has experienced many firsts throughout her academic career.
She is the first in her family to pursue a college degree. The first of her loved ones to leave New Mexico and move to Texas. And now, she is helping shape history as one of the first graduates of the new nursing program at St. Edward’s University.
Texas does not have enough nurses to meet demand.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, a report shows that from now through 2036, some popular nursing careers like registered nurses and certified nurse midwives will be in a deficit compared to the ideal projections of nurses Texas should have.
For registered nurses, the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies (TCNWS) reports that the state will be over 50,000 short by 2036. The deficit for midwives isn’t as drastic, but the center still reports that Texas will be over 270 midwives short.
The Summer Earn and Learn (SEAL) program provides students with disabilities, aged 16–22, with work readiness training and paid work experience. SEAL is a statewide strategy that includes employability skills training and paid work experience for students with disabilities.
The SEAL program helps businesses meet workforce demands by providing a risk-free opportunity to engage young workers with disabilities. Benefits for employers include:
Contact Kesha Gardner, Student HireAbility Navigator, to get started!
Office: 512-597-7149
Email: kesha.gardner@wfscapitalarea.com
Travis County is looking to provide guaranteed child care availability for low-income families and expand child care options for families working during nontraditional hours.
The $75 million Raising Travis County initiative—approved by voters in November 2024—is expected to support several programs aimed at increasing affordable child care for around 9,800 children, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The county has awarded nearly $29 million in annual funding to the Workforce Solutions Capital Area nonprofit, local school districts and other community organizations, according to county documents.
One of Austin’s leading workforce development organizations has found its permanent CEO.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area, a nonprofit that supports workforce development efforts like the Austin Infrastructure Academy, announced on Feb. 25 that it had chosen Yael Lawson as its full-time CEO. Lawson had been serving as the interim CEO since last September after the previous CEO, Tamara Atkinson, left the nonprofit to join Goodwill Central Texas.
Lawson is very familiar with Workforce Solutions’ operations because she was previously its chief operations officer and has worked in various roles at the nonprofit since 2000.
For more than 30 years, Tammy Forton has dedicated her life to serving children and families through early childhood education.
In this testimonial, Tammy shares how her partnership with Workforce Solutions Capital Area helped transform her school through teacher training, child care scholarships, Texas Rising Star support, staffing resources, and ongoing collaboration.
What began as two classrooms with seven children became a thriving school “filled with laughter and happiness.”
More importantly, Tammy shares the deeper impact this support had on her teachers, families, and even her own confidence as a leader.
“When I didn’t think I could do it, they told me I could.”
Topics in this story include:
Thank you to Tammy for sharing her story and passion for child care.