CapMetro’s finance committee approved Wednesday moving forward on a collaboration with Workforce Solutions Capital Area to help develop more than 1,000 jobs for the transit authority’s Project Connect program. The three-year partnership will begin in December, with a total cost capped at $366,000.
The collaboration will tap into WFSCA’s education and business partners to expand CapMetro’s access to a talent pipeline. WFSCA will help identify gaps in CapMetro’s talent pool and map out in-demand positions and necessary skills to fulfill those needs.
Dedicated Workforce Solutions Capital Area career counselors will have a permanent home at Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Northridge Campus. The move is part of a new co-location formed in order to connect students more seamlessly to city and county funding for workforce training.
Why it matters: Data shows that ACC students who receive funding for career training through community-based partners such as Workforce Solutions Capital Area are 1.7 times more likely to complete their education faster than those who do not receive support.
Student benefits: The partnership allows students to have direct access to funding and training for high-skilled and high-paying careers. In-demand certifications that will be immediately available at ACC Northridge include:
To apply or learn more about one of the above courses, please contact Marcela Nouzovska: (512) 223-7588 · mnouzovs@austincc.edu
What’s next: As the partnership grows, more certifications will be added, with the goal to co-locate continuing education staff at additional ACC campuses.
Am I eligible? Travis County residents are eligible for no-cost continuing education training if they are 18 years old, live in Austin-Travis County, are authorized to work in the U.S. and have been impacted by COVID-19.
According to new data from the Texas Workforce Commission, the Austin-Round Rock MSA unemployment rate decreased slightly from July 2022 to August 2022, and is now 3.0%, as represented by 40,440 unemployed residents.
“The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the Austin metro is the top performing metro for job growth in the United States when compared to the top 50 metros,” Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, said. “Major job growth and low unemployment adds to the challenge of finding candidates to fill numerous new roles, but Workforce Solutions Capital Area is responding to this growth strategically for both the job seekers’ and employers’ benefits.”
Even as inflation continues to take a toll and the threat of a recession remains, Austin’s job market remains strong.
The latest report from the Texas Workforce Commission shows the jobless rate in the Austin metro area decreased slightly from July to August and now stands at 3%.
More and more companies are moving to Austin, and many offer jobs with higher-paying wages.
“Austin is the No. 1 metro in the U.S. for job creation right now,” said Jameson Cardenas, the senior director for marketing and communications for Workforce Solutions Capital Area. “But at the same time, there’s 47,000 unfilled jobs, and that’s 15,000 more than there were last year.”
With more than $500,000 in grants in hand, Workforce Solutions Capital Area is looking to expand apprenticeship programs in the area.
On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Workforce Solutions will be holding an event to let the public know about apprenticeship grant opportunities aimed at helping Travis County residents earn more through job training and certification.
It seems it takes more than rising interest rates, declining stock prices and national economic jitters to dent what has been a voracious demand for workers in the Austin area.
“Help wanted” postings are still proliferating, with job growth in the region climbing nearly 11% on an annualized basis in July and the unemployment rate holding steady at an extremely tight 2.9%.
AUSTIN, Texas – Workforce Solutions Capital Area is the recipient of $548,883 in grants to aid in expanding Registered Apprenticeship programs in the manufacturing, technology and healthcare industries. These grants were awarded by a mix of both public and private entities, including Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the Healthcare Career Advancement Program (H-CAP). The industries supported by these grants have experienced a skills gap over the past several years, and the new apprenticeship opportunities will help Travis County residents earn higher wages while achieving a certification and on-the-job training that will help them advance their careers.
“We are grateful for the ongoing support from our community, which allows us to offer these apprenticeship programs and provide much needed opportunities to grow our region’s manufacturing, technology and healthcare industries,” Tamara Atkinson, chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, said. “Programs like these allow for the development of a highly skilled workforce, provide residents with the tools they need to get hired for high-paying jobs, and support employers with a diverse and talented applicant pool from which to recruit.”
Enrollment for these apprenticeships is currently open for those interested in careers in technology and healthcare. Enrollment in manufacturing is scheduled to open in January 2023. To apply or learn more about these apprenticeships, please visit wfscapitalarea.com/apprenticeships/.
Providing eligible parents with financial assistance for quality child care is essential for these parents to work or train to better provide for their families. It also helps to develop the future skilled workforce of Central Texas. To help accomplish this, Workforce Solutions Capital Area hosts the annual Child Care Symposium for child care directors, owners and workers in Central Texas.
This year, we held the symposium in person and virtually August 5 and 6.
In-person attendees gathered at the Joe C. Thompson Conference Center at UT Austin for a full schedule of training opportunities and to hear from speakers representing state and local governments and a fellow child care provider.
On August 5, 85 directors participated in-person or virtually.
On August 6, 234 teachers participated.
Our grand total was 319 early learning professionals who received 1,750 hours of training at the Child Care Symposium.
Speakers included Aaron Demerson, Commissioner Representing Employers for the Texas Workforce Commission, José “Chito” Vela, Council Member representing District 4, and Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin Travis County Health Authority.
The event’s keynote speaker was Reshaun Webb, an Early Childhood Education coach and trainer who also owns a child care center.
“At the City of Austin, we are doing everything we can to be supportive of working parents and their children. We’re hosting summer camps all summer long for kindergarten all the way up to high school to support working parents,” Vela said.
Dr. Desmar Walkes, Commissioner Aaron Demerson, and Council Member José “Chito” Vela
“Quality child care is a win-win situation for Texas employers and job seekers alike,” Demerson said. “I believe in the importance of supporting child care providers in growing their business and providing much needed services to the growing population of our state.”
Dr. Walkes provided an overview of monkeypox and how to help prevent the spread of infection.
“When we talk about essential workers, we talk about doctors and nurses, but what we really mean are child care providers,” Dr. Walkes said. “None of this is possible without you.”
What they’re saying:
For the directors and teachers who participated, the Child Care Symposium provided valuable learning opportunities and moments to connect with one another, whether in person or virtually.
“This is my first time as a teacher and am finding every day as a teacher is different, so all this information has been very interesting,” said one attendee.
“I loved the interaction and conversation. I also liked the opportunity to connect. The Workforce Solutions staff were super helpful and friendly,” said another teacher.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area works with 400-plus providers across Central Texas to provide care for over 5,000 children.
The job market in Texas is seeing record growth for a ninth month in a row.
According to workforce nonprofit Workforce Solutions, Texas added 72,800 jobs during the month of July. Those numbers come as Texas unemployment rates are at their lowest since February 2020.
The Austin-Round Rock area has one of the lowest in the state, at 3.1%. And from June to July 2022, the unemployment rate did not fluctuate with around 41,457 unemployed residents.
