As the pandemic and economic downturn yielded deep hardship and put tens of thousands out of work in Central Texas, Workforce Solutions Capital Area took many steps to rapidly and urgently respond. Among other strategies, we found new ways to collaborate with the private sector to address employers’ workforce needs and help connect unemployed or underemployed Texas workers with training and job opportunities in thriving industries.
Accenture, a company with more than 3,500 employees in Central Texas, stepped forward to provide resources and expertise. They helped us navigate this period of disruption as we worked through the pandemic and economic crisis to come out stronger and more resilient for the future.
We are in a period of tremendous change. Some of this change is permanent – for instance, widespread adoption of remote working – and we have embraced upskilling strategies to help prepare companies for the changing workforce needs. Utilizing a data-driven, employer-focused approach, Workforce Solutions Capital Area is more capable of leading the way to a new era of prosperity for Central Texas.
Accenture was vital in helping us assess where we were and creating a plan for upgrading our support for local companies. They contributed a team with deep expertise in workforce research, data science and analytics, training, and strategic planning to help us improve how we determine skill gaps and engage with and support businesses.
Thanks to three months of working closely together, we now have a new “Go to Employer” strategy. The components include data-driven outreach to companies hiring for hard-to-fill jobs, an employer recognition program for upskilling, tools for tracking progress, and critical information to understand regional needs.
Accenture works to help organizations “deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity” and embrace change. We are glad to have had their support to advance a top strategic priority through a challenging time, such as we’ve never seen before.
I’m proud to report that with Accenture’s help, we have substantially advanced our abilities to help connect Central Texas workers with jobs, doing so in a way that better supports broad-based prosperity in the community and more sustainable economic growth. Through partners like Accenture, we can expand our upskilling efforts and prepare for the changing workforce.
Help us advance upskilling by downloading and sharing our Upskilling Toolkit, sharing our Upskilling Heroes video, and referring companies to utilize our services.
Learn how you can get involved at https://www.wfs20.com/ahead.