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.
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.
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.
The team from Workforce Solutions Capital Area participated in the Dress for Success: Community Connect event on Feb. 21. This wasn’t just a visit to the boutique; it was also an opportunity to network with other community partners.
The experience was truly enlightening. Participants had the chance to meet and engage with community liaisons from diverse organizations, each offering unique resources and services.
The organizations present included American Youthworks, Caritas of Austin, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, the Excel Center, the Kind Clinic, Trinity Center, CyberTex Institute of Technology, Con Mi Madre, Foundation Communities, Peloton U, SAFE Alliance, and Real Queens.
The event underscored the power of collaboration. It was a testament to how our collective efforts can unlock numerous opportunities for individuals, paving their way towards stability. The event was a resounding success, and we look forward to fostering these collaborative relationships in the future.
Guess what? Workforce Solutions received a golden ticket to Austin Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Career Fair! It was held at the Riverside Campus on March 21.
This wasn’t just any fair; it was a bustling hub for students to connect with Austin’s local companies. The students got a taste of the opportunities that lay ahead. Priscilla Torres, community liaison for WFS Capital Area, talked with several students, sharing how WFS Capital Area can be their guide in their job search journey.
“We’re not just any job search platform, we’re a community that hosts our own job fairs, designed to help students like you secure your dream role!” says Priscilla.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that serves to lead and govern the Austin/Travis County area workforce system. In this role, we are responsible for the planning, oversight, and evaluation of workforce development activities in the Capital Area. Simply put, we connect local people — youth and adults — to the most in-demand industries with quality jobs.
To help us bridge our region’s skills gap, we are excited to welcome Sylnovia Holt Rabb to our board of directors. Sylnovia currently serves as the director of the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department.
Get to know Sylnovia in our Q&A below, and connect with her on LinkedIn to see her extensive experience in economic development oversight, small business consulting, and fund and financial management.
Q: Where is your hometown?
A: Quincy, Florida
Q: How did you first become involved with Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS)?
A: I become involved with Workforce Solutions in 2009 when I started as the Financial Manager for the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office, now the Economic Development Department.
Q: How is WFS a go-to resource for employers in Austin?
A: Workforce Solutions Capital Area provides personalized resources and services for the community to access job opportunities.
Q: What is the value of connecting local people to local jobs?
A: Connecting local people to local jobs positively impacts our economy because our residents reinvest their earned — and increased — wages back into our community.
Q: How does upskilling benefit your industry?
A: Upskilling allows City of Austin employees a career ladder/progression.
Q: How has skills training helped you develop your career?
A: The City of Austin has provided contracts to various non-profits, including Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Skillpoint Alliance, Capital Idea, Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and AUTM HQ.
Q: How has skills training helped you develop your career?
A: Thankfully, I’ve been afforded executive leadership training to help me move up within the City of Austin.
BONUS QUESTIONS
Q: What does your ideal day in the Austin area look like?
A: I’m a morning person — I do my best work before 2 p.m.
Q: If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
We have an important update about our South Austin Career Center, located inside the Goodwill Central Texas on Burleson Road.
In line with Workforce Solutions Capital Area’s ongoing mission to improve how we deliver services to our community, we’ve made the thoughtful decision to relocate our staff from the South location to our other facilities. This shift is part of a larger strategy to explore new spaces and co-location partnerships that will allow us to best serve our South Austin/Travis County community.
Rest assured that all services previously available at the South location will continue without interruption. Customers can continue to access our services remotely or at our other two career centers and various co-located spaces throughout the Austin area.
It’s been our privilege to serve you from the South Center in partnership with Goodwill Central Texas, and we are excited about the opportunities this strategic relocation presents. We want to thank our clients, partners, and the community for their continued support and understanding during this transition.
For more information about how to access services remotely or at our other locations, visit wfscapitalarea.com.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area partners with many local healthcare employers to train and hire the workforce for this key local industry. One of our partners is Texas A&M’s School of Nursing. Here, in their own words, are how they are creating positive community impact locally.
Katie Bailey graduated with a BSN from the Texas A&M School of Nursing in 2019. Nursing was her second career and a melding of her two lifelong passions: people and science.
After becoming a parent to two children with a rare genetic autoinflammatory disease, her passion for delivering patient and family-centered care grew. She saw the impact nurses made on her children’s care, and her passion for the healthcare field was reignited.
Katie is currently a clinical supervisor with an education focus at Dell Children’s. She cares for patients part-time while also working with a phenomenal leadership team and staff, and she feels incredibly lucky to get to do both. She loves continuing to care for patients and enjoys working collaboratively to assess education needs and facilitating growth to promote staff confidence and patient safety.
Austin/Travis County workforce board recognized for role in establishing Central Texas’ first-ever Mobility Industry Sector Partnership
AUSTIN, Texas–Workforce Solutions Capital Area, the non-profit organization that serves as the leadership and governing body for the Austin/Travis County area workforce system, has received national honors in the highly competitive National Association of Workforce Boards 2024 Awards, which recognize exceptional initiatives by workforce organizations and their partners.
Winner of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Trailblazer Award for efforts put into projects, strategic planning, and unique labor and demand forecast, WFSCA received merit for its role in establishing the first-ever Mobility Industry Sector Partnership with local transit authority CapMetro and Austin Transit Partnership in 2023.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team and our partners for supporting us in creating and implementing comprehensive workforce solutions to connect thousands more local people to jobs and careers in the burgeoning mobility and infrastructure sector,” Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, said. “I also want to thank Mayor Kirk Watson and Travis County Judge Andy Brown for co-chairing the Mobility and Infrastructure Leadership Group and their efforts to provide local people with life-long career opportunities.”
Since the Mobility Industry Sector Partnership was initiated last year, WFSCA and partners have established a policy leadership group and a working industry group, which have engaged stakeholders and led focus groups, analysis and a comprehensive research study. The study, ‘Building a Robust Labor Force to Deliver Generational Infrastructure,’ provided crucial insights into the sector by examining the existing capacity of Austin’s mobility and infrastructure workforce, forecasting its growth trajectory until 2040, and presenting solutions that exist both nationally and within the region to fortify the workforce development ecosystem.
The WIOA Trailblazer Award will be presented this month at The Forum 2024 in Washington, D.C., a conference specifically for workforce development leaders, businesses and educators.
“I’m thankful for the training providers, community-based organizations, and job creators who have come together in our Mobility Industry Sector Partnership to innovate, inspire, and impact workforce development in ways that truly make a difference,” Mark Sherry, board chair at Workforce Solutions Capital Area, said. “It truly feels like we are setting the pace with this work and blazing a trail forward.”
For more information about Workforce Solutions Capital Area, please visit www.wfscapitalarea.com.
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About Workforce Solutions Capital Area
Workforce Solutions Capital Area is the non-profit organization that serves as the leadership and governing body for the Austin/Travis County area workforce system. They are responsible for the planning, oversight, and evaluation of workforce development activities in the Capital Area. Learn more at WFSCapitalArea.com and follow along on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
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:
