Since December 2018, Texas added 342,800 jobs as Total Nonfarm employment reached 116 consecutive months of annual growth. The annual growth rate edged up for the third consecutive month to 2.7 percent. Private sector annual growth reached 3.1 percent, its highest level since March 2015. 

In Tarrant County, nine of eleven sectors have experienced employment increases over the last year. Employment continues to increase as unemployment decreases. The labor market continues to get tighter and tighter and employers are reporting increased difficulty in finding the talent they need. 

In fact, according to a recent survey by Robert Half, 84 percent of U.S. employers are open to hiring an under-qualified candidate and training up. Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County served almost 6,000 job seekers in the last quarter of 2019 and has programs that help defray the employers’ costs of training up under-qualified new hires. Contact our Business Services Unit at business.services@workforcesolutions.net for more information.
Continuing the Climb: Court in the Community Event & Re-Entry Job Fair

In partnership with, City of Fort Worth, Cornerstone Assistance Network, Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Redemption Bridge, Reentry First Stop Center for Tarrant County, Tarrant County, Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.), Unlocking Doors and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, we hosted a job and resource fair on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. The focus of the event was primarily on employment opportunities for individuals with challenged backgrounds. In addition to the employers and resources available at this event, the Fort Worth Municipal Court conducted a Safe Harbor Court in the Community initiative, meaning attendees may visit without fear of arrest for outstanding warrants issued by the Fort Worth Municipal Court. Continuing the Climb puts on two events a year for the Re-Entry population and we are excited to be part of this initiative. Here are some results from the day:
  • 57 organizations participated
  • 23 Resource Agencies
  • 34 Employers
  • 330 Job Seekers attended the event
  • Of that number 11 identified as veteran or spouse of a veteran
  • Employer Surveys reported:
  • 277 interviews conducted/scheduled
  • 30 on site hires
  • Court in the Community Numbers
  • Served approximately 50 citizens
  • Of that number 37 went before the judge 
  • 193 cases were disposed
We Hire Vets Employer Recognition Program

On January 31st Aaron Demerson, Commissioner Representing Employers for Texas Workforce Commission visited Tarrant County to present DynCorp International with the We Hire Vets Employer Recognition. This program recognizes Texas employers for their commitment to hiring veterans.

Through this program, employers whose workforce is composed of at least 10 percent military veterans are eligible to receive a “We Hire Vets” employer recognition decal to display on the employer’s storefront as well as an electronic decal to display on the employer’s website. For more information about the program or to apply please visit: https://twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/texas-operation-welcome-home.
 
DynCorp surpassed the 10% number, in a big way!
·         48% of 1375 total employees, (656) are veterans.
·         Globally, veterans make up roughly 76% of total employees. 

We are thankful for companies like DynCorp International for their commitment to Veterans.
Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia visited Fort Worth on February 5th

Board Members Jon Gustafson and Rosa Navejar along with Executive Director Judy McDonald joined Mayor Betsy Price and other employers and educators at a private meeting with Secretary of Labor Scalia. The gathering was hosted by The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. Secretary Scalia called for employers to partner with education and other training providers to train for jobs that don’t recognize a college degree.

Workforce Solutions discussed our industry consortiums and our services for Second Chance Job Seekers. Mayor Price reported on the design and results of the recent Continuing the Climb: Court in the Community Event & Re-Entry Job Fair.  
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County's Annual Awards Celebration
& Joint Board Meeting

We will be joined by and hear from our Workforce Governing Board made up of Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, as well as Texas Workforce Commission's Commissioner Representing Employers, Aaron Demerson at our 2020 Annual Awards Celebration and Joint Board Meeting at Fort Worth Botanic Gardens on February 12th. The celebration recognizes the individuals and organizations who helped make this year a success. Awards include the 2020 Industry Consortium Champion, 2020 Employer Education Champion and Partner in Workforce Champion to name a few.
Fort Worth State of the City

Mayor Betsy Price will host the 2020 State of the City Address on Friday, February 28th at 11:15A.M. at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Mayor Price will discuss the next phase of Fort Worth's growth and development. More information can be found HERE.

6th Annual Tarrant County College-Wide Job Fair

April 1, 2020 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Tarrant County College Northwest Campus (WSTU 1303/1305) – Job Seekers are encouraged to pre-register at:https://tccjobfair.eventbrite.com. Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is proud to partner with TCC on this event.

2020 Census Could Mean Millions in Federal Money for Fort Worth

Census Day is April 1, 2020. It is conducted every 10 years by the U.S. Census Bureau to count every resident in the United States. The decennial census count will inform spending decisions for the next decade.
The census is crucial for high-gross cities like Fort Worth, Mayor Price said. Federal funding is based on the count so if it is wrong, the city could receive less than what it should receive. Learn more HERE.
Each month we host multiple events at our 6 workforce centers around Tarrant County. All the information for those dates including location, date and time are always listed on our website as well as our social media channels. Here is a breakdown of two of our most popular monthly events:
Virtual Industry Chat Series:  This event is held every Third Thursday of the Month at each of our 6 workforce centers. It is a video conferencing platform that exposes, the job seeker, to information about specific industries by connecting them with Industry Professionals. We are bringing the employers to you for a great opportunity to learn first-hand from the company’s representatives. Participants will be able to ask questions and interact with Industry Professionals.

Hiring Fair Days: Each of our 6 workforce centers have designated days that they host employers at their centers. Our schedule is listed below, a list of participating employers is listed on the website and social media 1 week prior to the event:
  • Alliance Workforce Center: 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 10am to 12pm
  • Arlington Workforce Center: 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 9am to 11am
  • Central Workforce Center: 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 9am to 12pm
  • Mid-Cities Workforce Center: 2nd and 4th Thursday from 9am to 11am
  • Northwest Workforce Center: 4th Tuesday from 10am to 12pm
  • Resource Connection Workforce Center: 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm

Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, a proud partner of the American Job Center Network, is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available, upon request to individuals with disabilities. (TDD/TTY) 1-800-RELAYTX