Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS) regularly analyzes the regional labor market to identify the most in-demand industries and occupations.
Our new white paper gives a snapshot of Austin area future workforce so that local companies and organizations can prepare for their hiring needs. This report offers data and innovative solutions to meet talent demand through Workforce Solutions Capital Area’s K-12 initiatives.
Read the white paper for more on the future talent pipeline and where to look for strategies to attract and retain that talent.
Grow your business through talent: Workforce Solutions is uniquely positioned to help employers of all industries directly connect with local job seekers and talent. We’re collaborative and can tailor services based on your company’s needs. Get started.
During the most recent Urban Land Institute Austin session, Tamara Atkinson and other leaders in workforce training shared the realities of the local economy, which will need more than 10,000 new skilled workers every year for roughly a decade. Those workers will help to carry out construction and production on major projects such as the Interstate 35 reconstruction, the Project Connect mass transit system, the expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the assorted semiconductor manufacturing plants across the region that collectively represent tens of billions of dollars in investment.
Several times, talk turned to the city’s recent establishment of a new infrastructure training academy, which is intended to address the growing need for construction workers throughout the area.
Panelist Nestor Ho, chief legal officer of Silicon Labs, said the current employment imbalance shows there are 62,000 jobs available for 52,000 people who are classified as unemployed.
According to Workforce Solutions Capital Area, there are more than enough jobs but not enough skilled workers in Austin.
The organization is trying to address the city’s skills gap through its Hire Local initiative. It released its 2023 annual report highlighting the initiative’s impacts.
“That is designed to close the gap by connecting local people with the skills needed in high demand jobs, high paying jobs, so they can afford to stay here in Austin,” said Chair for Workforce Solutions Capital Area Board Mark Sherry.
More Central Texans are enrolling in training programs that boost wages and fill gaps in the region’s labor force, an April 17 report from Workforce Solutions Capital Area found.
The 2023 Hire Local Report analyzed job placement and income increases of those who completed training programs in the Austin metro from October 2022 through September 2023.
The report also found that more Central Texans are utilizing training programs compared to previous years. Workforce Solutions served 17,186 students in 2023, 3,591 more than in 2022. Further, nursing graduates almost doubled in the past five years, from 596 in the 2018-19 school year to 1,076 during the 2022-23 school year.
Catch up quick: To celebrate the start of Week of the Young Child, we hosted our first-ever Family Celebration & Resource Fair with food, fun, and lots of resources for families on April 6!
Why it matters: Workforce Solutions Capital Area supports eligible families in Travis County with affordable, high-quality child care options with child care scholarships.
What happened: 63 families attended to learn about community resources, enjoy a story time reading with their children, practice CPR for infants and children, and more!
What they’re saying: We surveyed the families and 100% said they would attend next year!
“Thank you for inviting us! “
“This was a great event! We loved story time!”
“I enjoyed myself as did my children.”
“Everything was great, super informative and helpful and not painful experience either. Glad we came.”
“It was awesome, informative!
Workforce Solutions Capital Area Child Care Services helps families and providers through scholarships to afford quality care, partnership to increase the quality of early childhood education, and support with job search and business services. Learn more about how we promote positive child outcomes.
Today the National Institute for Innovation and Technology™ —the nation’s leader in semiconductor talent pipeline development and U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) national Intermediary responsible for establishing and expanding Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) throughout semiconductor and nanotechnology-related industry supply chains—awarded two semiconductor industry giants, GlobalFoundries® and Applied Materials, Inc. for their work in establishing semiconductor manufacturing RAs.
Representatives from both companies were presented with the awards during “Texas Transistors: Building a Stronger Semiconductor Talent Pipeline,” a live-panel event held in Austin, TX, with stakeholders in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries. GlobalFoundries was awarded for instituting the nation’s first semiconductor Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), which graduated its first apprentices last year at the company’s manufacturing facility in Malta, New York. The company also has a successful RAP at its Essex Junction, Vermont, manufacturing facility.
The awardees participated in the panels alongside other experts from NXP Semiconductors® and ManpowerGroup®, and leaders at the Workforce Solutions Capital Area and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area boards.
Exciting news for Texans in Pflugerville looking to gain new skills: Workforce Solutions Capital Area, the local workforce development board for Austin/Travis County, has received funding through a Community Development Block grant award from the City of Pflugerville to provide no-cost job training for eligible residents.
Program participants will train to earn required skills for in-demand occupations in industries quickly growing in Pflugerville, such as advanced manufacturing. Eligible participants must reside within the Pflugerville city limits and meet federal standards for low- to low-to-moderate income.
The Community Development Block Grant Program, led by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
WFS Capital Area will serve up to 20 Pflugerville residents through December with this funding. Pflugerville residents interested in participating can contact us to begin.
El informe más reciente de la Comisión de la Fuerza Laboral de Texas indica que la cesantía en la capital subió a 3.7% entre enero y febrero, lo que equivale a mas de 50.000 residentes sin trabajo; sin embargo, esta sigue siendo la tasa más baja de las 10 ciudades mas grandes del estado.
“Se mantiene por debajo de la tasa de texas que es un 4.4%. La región ha experimentado una tasa de crecimiento anual de 2.8%, lo que representa la adición colectiva de 36,500 puestos de trabajo desde febrero de 2023”, dijo Yesenia García representante de Workforce Solutions.
Entre las industrias con mayor crecimiento en el último año está la construcción con 5.3%. El reporte también da cuenta de otros sectores con alto número de contrataciones en el área como “la manufactura, los oficios calificados, la atención médica, la tecnología, la movilidad”, agregó García.
QS Academy is a premier provider of workforce development training throughout the United States, specializing in serving job seekers, military personnel, government employees, and professionals in the healthcare and IT industries. Their fundamental mission is to empower individuals to achieve their career ambitions through outstanding education and training programs.
QS Academy and Workforce Solutions Capital Area have collaborated successfully for over three years due to our shared objectives. Together, we are dedicated to ensuring the success of participants interested in training, thereby enhancing their families’ financial prospects.
Here’s a concise overview of QS Academy’s offerings:
QS Academy offers short-term, online career training programs leading to national certifications in Information Technology and Healthcare fields.
Our programs feature flexible start dates and utilize Bootcamp models, ensuring adaptability to individual schedules.
We prioritize equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to pass National Credential Exams within a structured learning environment.
Students commit 16-20 hours per week to coursework, supported by monitored training and consistent outreach from our dedicated team.
One-on-one mentoring sessions are provided to enhance student learning and overall success.
Our Career Service team offers comprehensive job placement assistance, aiding students in securing employment upon program completion.
To facilitate learning, training materials include laptops (if needed), physical and/or electronic books, practice exams, and exam fees.
QS Academy is deeply committed to providing top-tier education and support to our students, ensuring they are well-prepared to excel in their chosen field.
2023 was a monumental year for our local workforce and Workforce Solutions Capital Area! We want to celebrate some of the great work done for our community connecting local people to local jobs. Looking ahead, our goal is to continue making a positive difference in the lives of job seekers and employers. Here’s a recap of some of our top moments from 2023, presented in no particular order.
1. We were awarded $75,000 by Texas Workforce Commission for a 2023 Child Care Employment Connections Award
We were honored to be recognized by TWC for our critical support to help Austin-Travis County parents. This performance-based award recognizes local workforce development boards for their work in connecting at-risk parents with sufficient employment.
Why it matters: The Child Care Employment Connections Awards recognize boards that were the most successful in helping make employment connections for unemployed parents whose children are receiving child care assistance.
In 2023, we provided child care scholarships to over 6,600 local children. See more impacts.
2. Our healthcare partner Baylor Scott & White Health won the 2023 Large Employer of the Year Award from the Texas Workforce Commission
We were happy to celebrate Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) with Mark Sherry, Vice President of Human Resources at BSWH and vice chair of the Capital Area Board of Directors, at this year’s Texas Workforce Commission Workforce Conference in Houston.
Why it matters: BSWH is one of the three largest hospital systems in Central Texas and has been instrumental in leading the charge for identifying and addressing severe occupation shortages in healthcare, not only for their own organizational needs but for the region. Through their participation in Capital efforts including apprenticeships, upskilling, K-12 engagement, and the awarding of a Texas Workforce Commission grant for healthcare jobs expansion, BSWH has been a key industry partner for Central Texas.
3. We launched a partnership with Austin Transit Partnership to develop Austin’s mobility workforce
Earlier in 2023, WFS and Austin Transit Partnership announced a partnership to develop Austin’s workforce to accommodate the expanding infrastructure projects in Central Texas.
Why it matters: Through this collaboration, we helped create the region’s first Mobility + Industry (M+I) Sector Partnership and Workforce Infrastructure Action Plan to build skilled talent from within the Austin community to meet the employment demands of the region as Project Connect progresses. The M+I Sector Partnership brings recommended oversight opportunities for infrastructure funding, enabling efficient and productive means to align workforce development resources through mobility, transit and infrastructure projects.
Of note: The partnership kicked off in April with Workforce Solutions analyzing the community’s mobility and infrastructure workforce ecosystem. The work included a comprehensive study on the supply and demand of occupations in construction, skilled workers and related industries. Additionally, contained an assessment of current worker availability, job training capacity, academic readiness of job seekers and more.
Read the study: Central Texas’ first-ever labor and demand forecast for the M+I sector, initiated to inform the region’s action plan for connecting local people to the thousands of jobs and careers created by the M+I industries.
Why it matters: The summit featured findings from Central Texas’ first-ever mobility workforce study and panel discussions with local and national experts and job creators regarding the region’s action plan for connecting local people to the thousands of jobs and careers created by the mobility and infrastructure industries.
5. We connected industry to the classroom with the teacher externship program
Since 2019, our Teacher Externship Program has strengthened relationships with local school districts and supports students in developing academic and technical skills required for the workforce.
Why it matters: According to E3 Alliance data, 12% of young adults without a credential, certification, or degree within 6 years of high school have a chance of earning living wages.
By the numbers: Since launching the program, we’ve connected 263 educators from seven ISDs and Travis County charter/public schools to 83 unique employers. Top industries represented include manufacturing, skilled trades, healthcare, tech, and hospitality/business.
Q2 is grateful for the opportunity we had to connect with local educators through the Workforce Solutions Capital Area externship program. Investing in education and workforce preparation is core to our mission of building strong and diverse communities, and we were truly impressed with the commitment and passion of the educators who were placed with Q2. We look forward to working with Workforce Solutions in the future, and partnering together with educators to prepare our future workforce to tackle the dynamic industry challenges of tomorrow.”
Kim Rutledge, Chief People Officer at Q2
In 2023, we served over 17,000 students with career activities in and out of the classroom such as career exploration events, field trips to industry work sites, summer internships and more. See more impacts.
On December 5, Workforce Solutions Capital Area and Education Service Center Region 13 held CareerQuest, an engaging and immersive career exploration expo for 7th-grade middle school students in Travis County. This event brought hands-on explorative experiences to students to help them discover their areas of interest and what options are available to them in middle school, high school, and post-graduation.
By the numbers: 1,800 bright minds from Austin, Del Valle, Elgin, Manor, and Pflugerville ISDs exploring the endless career possibilities of Austin’s hot job market in tech, healthcare, manufacturing, skilled trades, and mobility + infrastructure.
See ourrecap video with students and teachers sharing how they’re more aware of in-demand career pathways.
7. At the Child Care Symposium, providers received opportunities to learn and connect
Growing the future skilled workforce of Central Texas involves providing quality child care to eligible parents living and working in our community. To achieve this essential goal, Workforce Solutions Capital Area hosts the annual Child Care Symposium for child care directors, owners and workers in Central Texas.
Why it matters: For the 471 early learning professionals who participated, the Child Care Symposium provided valuable learning opportunities and moments to connect with one another.
I feel so truly blessed to call you all not only mentors but I feel like more of a close friend. We are all so blessed to have each of you on our side as we help the children in our communities thrive to be the future of the world. Thanks again for your dedication and your support.”
Irma Arrambide, owner/director at A New Day Child Development Center
8. We partnered with Dwyer Workforce Development and ACC to make nursing certification attainable for nontraditional students
Dwyer Workforce Development will support students in their journey to become certified nurses at no tuition cost through a new partnership with Austin Community College and Workforce Solutions Capital Area.
Why it matters: Our partnership aims to help remedy a local healthcare worker shortage while providing upward mobility for aspiring nurses. Entry-level career pathways, offered through the new Dwyer Scholars program, are vital to the operation of facilities and pave the way to upskill workers to fill crucial higher-skilled roles.
9. We announced a partnership with Amplify Credit Union
Helping Austinites access local jobs and resources to live and thrive in our community is what we do. We’re proud to partner with Amplify Credit Union to increase access to banking services and deliver custom benefits for our clients and employees.
Why it matters: Our clients are traditionally those most likely to be negatively impacted by systemic inequities, such as those found in banking. Thanks to the trailblazing work of Amplify, this partnership is a new avenue to close that gap and alleviate the barriers that banking fees can have to economic independence and success for so many in our community.
10. We were awarded a $100,000 grant from Texas Mutual grant for workforce development
Grant funds from Texas Mutual Insurance Company expanded students’ skills training opportunities with Pflugerville Independent School District. Workforce Solutions is one of 57 recipients of Texas Mutual’s annual workforce development and training safety grant.
Why it matters: Through this grant, Workforce Solutions and Pflugerville ISD expanded the district’s Manufacturing Pathway program by purchasing equipment needed for their program and train students to enter Austin Community College’s Manufacturing Academy. Austin Community College will provide dual credit courses to participating Pflugerville students enrolled in the advanced manufacturing career and technical education pathway. The Austin Regional Manufacturers Association will act as industry advisor and convene industry partners to advise the district on what to teach and provide work-based learning experiences for students.
QS Academy is a premier provider of workforce development training throughout the United States, specializing in serving job seekers, military personnel, government employees, and professionals in the healthcare and IT industries. Their fundamental mission is to empower individuals to achieve their career ambitions through outstanding education and training programs.
QS Academy and Workforce Solutions Capital Area have collaborated successfully for over three years due to our shared objectives. Together, we are dedicated to ensuring the success of participants interested in training, thereby enhancing their families’ financial prospects.
Here’s a concise overview of QS Academy’s offerings:
