The new academy should help train thousands of individuals to help with construction.
Tag: Austin Infrastructure Academy
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Austin Infrastructure Academy regional workforce program launches at ACC Riverside
An initiative to train thousands of Central Texans in career paths tied to the region’s tens of billions of dollars of new infrastructure projects on the horizon launched March 22 at Austin Community College’s Riverside Campus.
Local leaders gathered at ACC Riverside March 22 to mark the start of the Austin Infrastructure Academy, a workforce recruitment and training collaborative formed in advance of years of major development around Greater Austin.
The infrastructure academy’s creation has been in the works for months through partnership between local officials, educators and representatives from infrastructure industry, workforce development and labor groups.
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Austin to launch Infrastructure Academy to bolster city’s workforce
Austin City Council gave the green light March 7 to launch an Infrastructure Academy to connect residents with jobs as Austin embarks on $25 billion in capital projects.
The program aims to help fill thousands of skilled trades jobs with local talent as Austin widens I-35, expands the airport, renovates the convention center and adds a light rail to its transportation network.
Austin will also need to ramp up its recruiting efforts and improve coordination with existing organizations, such as Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Skillpoint Alliance and Austin Community College to get local workers trained and hired, the study found.
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With $25B in projects on tap, new Austin infrastructure academy gets green light
A plan to establish a new Austin infrastructure academy is taking shape, with the aim of ensuring the city’s workforce is equipped to meet the demands placed upon it by $25 billion in transportation-related projects over the coming years.
City Council approved a resolution March 7 that directs city staff to begin laying the groundwork for the new school and training network. The list of transformational projects on tap for Austin includes a 10-mile light rail route, a new concourse at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the expansion of Interstate 35 through the center of the city.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area, a nonprofit workforce development organization, also is set to play a central role in the founding of the new institution.
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Austin creates academy for construction workers as city faces historic amount of infrastructure
Thousands of workers are needed for big construction projects happening all around Austin.
Mayor Kirk Watson, along with the support of several Austin council members are pushing for an infrastructure academy to be a training hub for the city.
They hope a partnership with Workforce Solutions will help get construction workers, skilled trade individuals and the project managers they need to build the infrastructure.
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Austin mayor announces new infrastructure academy to build construction workforce
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson announced Wednesday plans for a new infrastructure academy to help build a local pipeline of workers for major construction and transportation projects in the region.
It’s tied to an agenda item that the city council will take up March 7.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area is one of the organizations working with the mayor on this initiative. Chief Executive Officer Tamara Atkinson said this would be the first academy of its kind in the country.
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Building a Robust Labor Force to Deliver Generational Infrastructure
Considering the imminent arrival of several large-scale projects, Austin must prepare itself for the heightened demand for M+I workers. Building A Robust Labor Force to Deliver Generational Infrastructure is Central Texas’ first-ever labor and demand forecast for the mobility and infrastructure (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: With the investment in transformational regional infrastructure, we can address Austin’s affordability challenges by creating family-supporting jobs and sustainable career pathways, while improving regional mobility.
- Austin can cultivate a strong and skilled labor force capable of undertaking these large-scale mobility and infrastructure projects, thereby redefining economic development prospects to foster prosperity for all.
Big picture: Austin, now the ninth-largest city in the nation, has grown by 14% in the past five years, sparking increased demand for new housing, improved roads, and other infrastructure enhancements.
- This rapid expansion underscores the critical need for a robust M+I workforce, equipped to manage, supervise, and construct infrastructure projects.
- Currently, Austin’s M+I sector employs over 222,000 workers, positioning it as the region’s second-largest sector, surpassing both healthcare and advanced manufacturing.
Zoom out: The M+I industry has gained significant national attention, with the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, resulting in a historic investment of $2.5T.
- A significant portion of this funding, approximately $500 billion, is allocated to infrastructure projects and is closely linked to workforce development.[1] Consequently, the M+I industry urgently requires a forward-looking workforce development system.
- Approximately 1.7M workers leave their positions annually, highlighting the substantial efforts needed to fill these vacancies. The recent federal legislation is anticipated to generate an additional 1.5M jobs annually.[2]
- Of note: The industry has been criticized for its lack of inclusivity towards younger workers, women, and people of color. Therefore, inclusive training programs targeting non-traditional populations and providing access to well-paying jobs are imperative to meet the escalating demand for projects.
Bottom line: Our research provides crucial insights into the M+I sector by examining the existing capacity of Austin’s M+I 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 10 most relevant trends for defining the current gaps and future opportunities in the M+I sector are:
- 10,000 M+I jobs created annually through 2040.
- The region’s existing skill shortages could hamper project success.
- Even the deepest wells of talent will be spread thin.
- A 4,000 annual training gap could exacerbate skill shortages.
- 6 in 10 M+I workers earn a prevailing wage.
- Women account for only 14% of the M+I workforce.
- Automation is set to impact M+I jobs more significantly than most other sectors.
- Employers seem to be disconnected from the skilled trade talent pool within the region.
- There is no consistent standard training period for the region’s M+I training initiatives.
- Present-day recruiting methods in the M+I sector are limited.
GO DEEPER:
If you are a job creator who recruits for roles or coordinates contracts or training for jobs in the M+I landscape — everything from transit operators to mechanics and engineers — your voice is needed. Sign up to learn more about the industry sector partnership and to join us for future work sessions.
Workforce Solutions Capital Area is on point to gauge how our community meets the moment and fills the roles this burgeoning economic sector will require, alongside Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, and their appointed Mobility & Infrastructure Leadership Group. An action plan is in development by the Leadership Group to bring thousands more residents into M+I jobs in our region. One of the first action items from this partnership was to deliver this research study.
[1] Ross, Martha, Joseph Kane, Felix Laniyan, and Annelies Goger. “How State and Local Leaders Can Harness New Infrastructure Funding to Build a Stronger, More Inclusive Workforce.” Brookings, March 24, 2023. https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-state-and-local-leaders-can-harness-new-infrastructure-funding-to-build-a-stronger-more-inclusive-workforce/.
[2] Kane, Joseph. “Seizing the U.S. Infrastructure Opportunity: Investing in Current and Future Workers