Over the last five years, Austin’s high-tech sector has added 30,000 new jobs—pushing total employment to nearly 95,000. But growth alone isn’t enough. Sustaining this surge means connecting students, job seekers, and employers across a 12-county region with aligned training, earn-and-learn programs, and career exploration pathways.
Software development roles alone have increased by more than 8,000 since 2020, with average salaries topping $142K
Over 7,500 computer- and math-related degrees are awarded each year in the region
Workforce Solutions’ Earn & Learn services and Opportunity Austin’s Talent Ambassador Program are helping local employers fill roles fast—while building long-term pipelines through career panels, internships, and paid training.
Our new Tech Industry Snapshot—developed by Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, and Opportunity Austin—offers fresh labor market insights, tech talent strategies, and real-world examples of how we’re building a stronger, more connected workforce.
When Homewatch Caregivers of Austin launched in December 2023, their mission was clear: deliver compassionate, personalized in-home care to individuals and families across the Austin area. But like many new businesses, they faced a critical challenge—how to build a strong, reliable team with limited resources.
Through the Earn & Learn service offered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS), Homewatch found more than just staffing support—they found a strategic partner committed to workforce development and long-term business success.
Why it matters: As a newly established in-home care agency, Homewatch needed a dependable workforce to meet growing client needs. However, with tight startup budgets, recruiting and training qualified employees posed a significant hurdle.
That’s where the Earn & Learn service made the difference. By providing funding support for on-the-job training, Earn & Learn is assisting Homewatch to build its team without compromising service quality or financial stability.
Through our Earn & Learn service, Homewatch accessed a diverse talent pool and filled essential care positions using WFS Capital Area’s Reverse Referral model, which allows employers to directly refers a current employee or a candidate for employment to Workforce Solutions.
This streamlined approach allowed Homewatch to refer promising candidates for subsidized training and employment, reducing hiring risks and accelerating onboarding. The partnership also opened doors to attend local hiring events and tap into a network of job-ready individuals seeking purpose-driven careers in healthcare.
Angelica Hernandez
Since joining the Earn & Learn initiative in November 2024, Homewatch Caregivers of Austin has made significant strides in workforce development:
They successfully placed candidates through community hiring events, including Workforce Solutions’ healthcare-focused job fairs.
Homewatch advanced their employee Angelica Hernandez to a Care Coordinator role earning $21 per hour through On-the-job training.
Another employee is being upskilled through the Reverse Referral process and will be transitioning into a new role as an Office Administrative Assistant, showcasing Homewatch’s dedication to internal growth and employee advancement.
Homewatch recruited Carilu Ledezma (at top) as a caregiver at a healthcare industry job fair hosted by WFS Capital Area in July. Carilu is earning $17.25 an hour in her new role.
What they’re saying: “As small business owners, the board’s hiring events and employer services have been a turning point for us,” Maresha and Imo Eshiet, owners of Homewatch Caregivers of Austin, said. “Running a new agency means every hour matters, and this support gave us the time to focus on building the right team from within. We have been able to empower our employees with opportunities, resources, and confidence to grow alongside us.
“That investment has not only strengthened our business, it has allowed us to stay true to our purpose of providing compassionate care while creating a workplace where people feel valued and supported. We are deeply grateful for this partnership and the difference it has made for our business and our team.”
The success of Homewatch Caregivers of Austin’s participation in Earn & Learn illustrates the true power of collaboration. With support from WFS, they have filled vital positions and invested in their employees’ futures—building a stronger, more resilient workforce.
Our tailored solutions at various levels of support can assist your business with awareness-raising, training, placement, and upskilling. Learn more and contact us to begin.
From robotics classrooms to registered apprenticeships, the journey to a thriving manufacturing workforce begins early and grows with every opportunity to learn, train, and upskill. In Central Texas, that journey is backed by strong regional partnerships linking K12 systems, higher education, and employers.
In-demand roles like CNC programmers and industrial engineers have grown by over 40% since 2019.
Students and veterans alike are engaging with hands-on training through programs like Semiconductor Technician Advance Rapid Start (STARS) and the Make It Center.
Employers are retaining top talent through zero-cost apprenticeship models, supported by local workforce boards and training providers.
Explore how Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Opportunity Austin, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, and the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association are aligning efforts to grow and sustain our regional talent pipelines.
The Austin metro healthcare industry is outpacing the region’s overall job growth—expanding at 2.4% annually and adding nearly 6,780 workers per year. In March 2025 alone, there were 8,937 healthcare job postings, accounting for 13% of all available jobs in the region, according to Opportunity Austin data.
These insights—and more—are featured in the latest white paper from Workforce Solutions Capital Area, the Central Texas Healthcare Partnership, Opportunity Austin, and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area.
Read the white paper for labor market insights, including in-demand career pathways, hiring trends, and industry partnership highlights.
Get involved with the Central Texas Healthcare Partnership, which utilizes K-12 initiatives, community partnerships, earn-and-learn opportunities, and state funding to fill the talent pipeline and connect local people to local jobs.
The Central Texas Healthcare Partnership is solving local healthcare shortages by utilizing earn and learn opportunities such as apprenticeships. One occupational shortage that our industry leaders identified was Certified Medial Assistant (CMA).
The Challenge: A Growing Demand for Medical Assistants
Just a few years ago, the shortage of CMAs was substantial in the Austin metro area. Employers reported having over 50 job openings at any given time. This shortage was compounded by the fact that local training providers were not graduating enough students to fill the occupation shortage. This led to employers competing over candidates and shortages for all regional healthcare providers.
The Solution: Apprenticeships That Work
In 2019, the Central Texas Healthcare Partnership partnered with Austin Community College and Innovative Workforce Projects to create national accredited Certified Medical Assistant registered the apprenticeships with the Department of Labor, and started offering apprenticeships to local residents.
Program Goals
Hire individuals with no prior healthcare experience and provide paid on-the-job training as Certified Medical Assistants.
Upskill current employees who were ready to advance their careers and add additional certification and responsibilities to retain current staff.
Add additional CMAs to our community to decrease shortages and reduce job openings.
Key Partners & Employers
Based on employer input and request for a Medical Assistant talent pipeline, we began leveraging our partnerships with Austin Community College and Innovative Workforce Projects that were vital to the success of the apprenticeships.
Once we built the apprenticeship framework with our partners, we introduced local employers to the benefits of the apprenticeship model for this non-traditional industry. Four employers signed on to implement the CMA Apprenticeship program: Ascension Seton, Austin Region Clinic, Baylor Scott & White Health, and CommUnityCare.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area also secured and leveraged multiple grants awarded to us by the Texas Workforce Commission that were imperative to fund and grow these apprenticeship programs.
Impact to Date
The healthcare industry has enrolled and hired 334 healthcare apprentices as Medical Assistants from September 2019 through December 2024. Enrollment for the CMA apprenticeship has grown significantly, with the largest increase occurring in 2022, when participation surged by 311% compared to the previous year.
Our healthcare providers have hired on average five CMA apprentices per month for the past five years thanks to this new recruitment and training strategy.
“The apprenticeship allows for clinics to support and develop community members into Certified Medical Assistants, thus improving the employment pathway and the pipeline from underserved populations into the Ascension network. The apprenticeship is helping stabilize the CMA workforce and is producing associates functioning at Ascension Gold Standards which are now highly sought by managers across Ascension clinics.”
Yesenia Renzi, RN Program Coordinator Ascension Seton
Workforce Solutions Capital Area and our Central Texas Healthcare Partnership continues to support the growth of healthcare apprenticeships to fill the workforce needs in this critical industry.
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.
The Hire Local evaluation helps Central Texas understand how well workforce education and training programs are supporting people and employers across the region. By tracking enrollment, completion, employment, and earnings, the evaluation offers insight into whether training leads to real opportunity in a region with a high cost of living.
Year Two findings show continued momentum, with growth in participation, strong employment outcomes, and sustained gains in earnings.
Key takeaways within the evaluation period (Oct 2022 – Sept 2023) include:
1. The Regional Workforce Pipeline Continued to Grow
16,092 residents enrolled in Hire Local focus industry training programs — up more than 1,200 from Year One.
Enrollment growth was strongest in business programs and skilled trades & manufacturing.
The region is building capacity without oversaturating the labor market — completers continue to align with available job openings.
2. More Residents Completed Training, and Most Found Jobs
4,681 residents completed training, an increase from Year One.
70% of completers found employment in the first quarter after completion.
Employment rates were strongest in healthcare and skilled trades & manufacturing programs (77% and 74%, respectively).
3. Earnings Gains Were Substantial and Widespread
84% of employed completers experienced an increase in income after completing training.
Median quarterly earnings rose to $9,795 in the first quarter post-completion.
This represents a $7,029 increase per quarter compared to pre-enrollment earnings.
4. Measuring Success Beyond Poverty Tells a Clearer Story
Rather than relying on a single income benchmark, Hire Local examines multiple earnings thresholds tied to affordability:
The share of completers earning above 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines doubled (23% → 48%).
The share able to afford a one-bedroom apartment independently more than tripled (4% → 13%).
The share earning above the City of Austin living wage doubled.
5. Income Gains Continued Beyond the First Quarter
One year after completion, 79% of Year One participants were employed.
Median annual earnings reached $44,824, exceeding projections based on first-quarter wages by 15%.
Read the full report to explore how Hire Local data and Workforce Solutions Capital Area’s performance demonstrate the role of training and wraparound services in supporting long-term economic mobility across Central Texas.
Austin’s unprecedented growth and major infrastructure projects like the IH-35 expansion, Project Connect, and airport redevelopment require 10,000 skilled workers annually.
Currently, regional training programs meet only 40% of this demand and women make up just 14% of the industry’s workforce. Workforce shortages risk project delays, impacting economic and community development.
Read the white paper for more labor market insights and to see how Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Opportunity Austin, and partners are working to align infrastructure investments with career pathways, helping to support our growing community.
Looking to connect with future talent and strengthen your workforce? Join the Mobility + Infrastructure Sector Partnership. Get started.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS) recently hosted a successful hiring event for the growing Mobility and Infrastructure sector, bringing together 17 employers and 432 enthusiastic attendees. The event connected local talent with exciting career opportunities, helping job seekers meet recruiters, explore career paths, and apply for roles.
Why it matters: Many employers found qualified candidates for both entry-level and specialized positions, with some offering interviews on the spot. More than just filling positions, the event fostered meaningful connections, provided valuable career advice, and highlighted the need for skilled workers in our community.
The United States Postal Service, along with many other organizations, came together to provide job opportunities for individuals seeking their next career step. Our mission is to connect local talent with local jobs, and this event exemplified that by bringing companies directly to candidates. The goal was to support the community by filling vital positions that contribute to the growth of Austin.
Many of the companies at the event offered roles that are essential to our community. The United States Postal Service, for example, had several positions available, including Lead Automotive Technician, Maintenance Mechanic, Assistant Rural Carrier, Rural Carrier Associate, and City Carrier Assistant. These roles are in high demand to meet the mail processing needs and ensure timely delivery. To effectively serve the community, it’s crucial to have skilled talent to carry out these important tasks.
Partnering with WFS gave local companies access to a diverse pool of talented individuals eager to start their next career. The event created a welcoming atmosphere where recruiters could engage with candidates in a more personal and meaningful way than through a Zoom call. It provided companies with the opportunity to showcase their organizations and connect with potential hires, setting them up for success in filling high-demand roles.
The event opened doors for many individuals in our community. For example:
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office found three promising candidates for their Correctional Officer positions, who are now moving forward with required assessments.
PeopleReady is currently onboarding several candidates, and the United States Postal Service is still reviewing potential hires, with updates expected soon.
Many attendees learned about the event through the news and were excited to connect not only with USPS, but also with other great local employers. Despite facing challenges in securing their next opportunity, many left the event feeling inspired and hopeful for the future after meaningful conversations with recruiters.
Our tailored solutions at various levels of support can assist your business with awareness-raising, training, placement, and upskilling. Learn more and contact us to begin.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS) partners with many local healthcare employers to train and hire the workforce for this key local industry. One of our partners is Satellite Healthcare. Here is how Satellite leverages local talent to grow their workforce.
Satellite Healthcare successfully hired three Dialysis Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) after attending a healthcare industry hiring event hosted by WFS. By leveraging our Talent Pipeline, Satellite Healthcare gained access to a local pool of qualified candidates, filling critical positions while supporting job seekers in the community.
Satellite Healthcare participated in WFS’s healthcare hiring event to address its growing need for qualified Dialysis PCTs. By leveraging local talent, Satellite Healthcare tapped into a pool of talent, streamlining the hiring process, and filling essential roles in patient care.
Satellite Healthcare required skilled Dialysis PCTs to meet the growing demands of its healthcare services. Finding qualified staff for such specialized roles can be challenging, particularly when looking for local talent. The healthcare industry hiring event offers an ideal solution, connecting Satellite Healthcare with skilled candidates ready to contribute to patient care.
Through the partnership with WFS, Satellite Healthcare has accessed a pipeline of qualified candidates via the healthcare industry hiring event through this channel. Workforce Solutions provided a streamlined recruitment process, helping the company efficiently fill the needed positions and to continue delivering quality healthcare services.
Satellite hired three new Dialysis PCTs from the event, directly meeting the company’s immediate staffing needs. This collaboration highlights our ability to support the healthcare sector in building a strong workforce.
Satellite Healthcare is a member of the Central Texas Healthcare Partnership, a workforce development leader in the Central Texas healthcare industry. The partnership was founded in early 2018 under the leadership of three Central Texas healthcare industry leaders: Baylor Scott & White Health, Ascension Seton, and St. David’s HealthCare.
Building off a 2018 Brookings report that profiled the newly launched DC Infrastructure Academy, this piece aims to further contextualize and demystify what these academies are attempting to do by focusing on a new example in Austin, Texas.
The details matter for how these academies are structured, who is involved in their creation, and the extent to which they are even addressing these workforce gaps. But Austin’s infrastructure academy is not just an ad hoc experiment; through its ongoing design and implementation, it can help inform how other regional leaders may consider launching similar approaches.
