Workforce Update - June 2021 |
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To see all the latest news posted on the TAWB website, click here.
Most of the money will be used to help Texas colleges and universities expand or add new programs in areas with employment shortages and provide additional aid to students.
The drop was more significant in districts that had most of their instruction online, compared to districts with more in-person classes.
Project offers free training for licensing and certification.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has awarded two individual grants: a $145,400 High Demand Job Training (HDJT) grant to Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas in collaboration with the Development Corporation of Baird, Community Development Corporation of Baird and Baird ISD; and a $37,500 Texas Industry Partnership grant to Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas and their partners the Abilene Industrial Foundation, Abilene Chamber of Commerce, and Development Corporation of Abilene.
We’re not there yet, but we can see it from here.
Dallas-Fort Worth has won the most cash awards from the Texas Enterprise Fund, which claims to have helped attract over 100,000 jobs statewide.
State adds 34,400 jobs over the month.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) used legislative authority to set unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates for 2021 at a stable level, consistent with 2020 rates, to avoid burdening Texas businesses with a significant increase of taxes resulting from pandemic-related closures outside of their control.
Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas was among six organizations to receive the Texas Economic Development Council's 2021 Workforce Excellence Award.
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Greater Dallas was recognized for its "Retail Pays" initiative that is providing career pathways for entry and midlevel retail workers. The project will help current workers and new workers improve their customer service, supervisor, and management skills and gain job-specific skills resulting in job retention and career advancement opportunities.
The grant will fund a collaborative effort to build a regional model that centers on core competencies identified by industry leaders and offers equitable access, accelerates learning and promotes entry into economically stable employment.
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The following are excerpts from the TAWB June 28 State Legislation Update. This is the “final” report of the 87 th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature of key workforce development bills that were passed and signed by the Governor Greg Abbott (one bill passing without his signature). The Governor last week announced that he will convene a special legislative session on July 8, 2021. Agenda items will be announced prior to the convening of the special session.
HB 1792 – Rep. Button (TWC Legislation)
Relating to the evaluation of child-care providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program. Would require TWC to select a single entity to oversee a statewide roster of qualified assessors to evaluate child-care providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program during the initial certification process and when a provider applies for a higher level of certification.
College Credit
HB 700 – Rep’s Johnson, Jarvis
Relating to the eligibility of foster children to receive college credit for completing the Preparation for Adult Living Program.
Relating to the establishment of the industry-based certification advisory council and the transfer of certain duties to that advisory council. Establishes the industry-based certification advisory council to better align career and technology education programs with current and future workforce needs of every community and region in Texas.
Relating to the establishment of the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Initiative to support workforce education at public junior colleges. Would establish program for Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to award grants to public junior colleges for creating, redesigning, or expanding workforce training programs that lead to postsecondary industry certifications or other workforce credentials required for high-demand occupations.
Relating to student success-based funding recommendations for certain continuing workforce education courses offered by public junior colleges. Would add language to add qualified continuing workforce education courses offered by colleges for which credit toward a certificate or associate ’s degree is not awarded in appropriations recommendations.
Relating to off-campus workforce education or lower-division programs offered by a public institution of higher education at the request of an employer. Would allow employers when seeking to collaborate with a higher education partner to serve their needs, a community or junior college could have the first right of refusal to meet those needs. If the community college is unwilling or unable, local employers should be able to invite competing higher education and workforce training providers to partner.
HB 3767* – Rep.s Murphy | Oliverson | Raney
Relating to measures to support the alignment of education and workforce development in the state with state workforce needs, including the establishment of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative. Will make permanent the temporary “Tri-Agency Initiative,” which is the collaborative work of the Texas Education Agency, Texas Workforce Commission, and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Relating to measures to facilitate the award of postsecondary course credit leading to workforce credentialing based on military experience, education, and training. Amends the Education Code to require the TWC to evaluate programs of study or courses offered by career schools or colleges leading to industry-based certifications or other workforce credentials and identify the programs or courses for which skills obtained through military experience, education, and training frequently align.
Work-based Learning
Relating to the payment of apprenticeship education expenses using the state's programs for paying, prepaying, or saving toward the costs of attending an institution of higher education. Allows students to use their 529 accounts to pay for apprenticeship programs and qualified expenses.
Relating to notice regarding the availability to public school students of college credit and work-based education programs and subsidies for fees paid to take certain advanced placement tests. Would require school districts to notify the parent of each district student enrolled in grade nine or above of the availability of career and technology education programs or other work-based education programs, including any internship, externship, or apprenticeship programs or a P-TECH program.
Relating to a sales and use tax refund pilot program for certain persons who employ apprentices. The measure will allow for a $2,500 sales tax refund for each apprentice hired. Also, the bill will ensure that at least half of all approved apprenticeship tax refunds will go to employers who create programs in emerging fields, rural regions, with aged-out foster youth, women, veterans, and others, that would maximize the program's benefits.
* TAWB public comments
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In 2021 the Texas Association of Workforce Boards (TAWB) will provide increased opportunities for companies and organizations with a stake in workforce development in Texas to support the state's 28 workforce development boards and to build awareness of their products and services. These include:
- Attendance at TAWB membership meetings and events
- Company spotlights and links in TAWB e-newsletter
- Educational Webinar Presentations*
- Exhibit Space at Virtual Events
- Enhanced Presence on TAWB Website
- Company/Organization Resources on TAWB website*
*Prior Approval Required
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Workforce Development Resources |
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TAWB was one of several state workforce organizations comprising the US Workforce Association that recently signed on to a FY22 Senate Labor, HHS Appropriations request letter.
A new publication for students and parents created by the Texas Workforce Commission’s Education Outreach team explores education and training opportunities available to high school students, and how to finance the pathways students choose to take to help them reach their career goals.
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has developed a series of Sector Sheets which describe CTE’s role in growing the qualified workforce for vital industry sectors, including recent update to those for Construction and Architecture, Advanced Manufacturing and Energy. Share these advocacy tools with industry, education leaders, policymakers and the public to illustrate how CTE supports specific industries and prepares students for career success.
Earlier this year National Skills Coalition (NSC) and Business Leaders United convened four industry recovery panels to share their perspectives on an inclusive economic recovery for infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail/hospitality. Since then, each panel – comprised of business leaders, labor organizations, community colleges, community training providers, and others – has developed recommendations and shared them with the Biden Administration and Congress to inform recovery package negotiations.
Monthly newsletter produced by TWC Labor Market and Career Information Department covering issues relating to the Texas economy.
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The Center for Work Ethic Development brings to you both, Bring Your 'A' Game and the brand-new, online Bring Your ‘A’ Game Anywhere. Both training programs build the seven foundational workplace skills of Work Ethic that employers demand. Developed with the unique needs and challenges of workforce development in mind, the two solutions give you the flexibility to deal with our new reality and prepare participants to earn their Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency. Workplace skills will be even more important for job seekers in the days ahead and now you can develop them in person or online!
C2 Global Professional Services was founded to offer a viable, and now successfully proven, alternative to what is available in terms of service providers. We look for Workforce Investment Board partners to commit to working beyond workforce dogma to improve communities, invest in staff development to achieve exceptional customer service and invest in innovation and technology to improve the system.
CEV Multimedia has specialized in providing quality CTE curriculum and educational resources for over 35 years. In 2012, CEV introduced iCEV, an online platform revolutionizing the way CEV produces and delivers educational content. iCEV is the most comprehensive online resource for CTE educators and students offering learning-on-demand features, video clips streaming and testing and grading capabilities to any device with Internet capabilities. Additionally, iCEV acts as a certification testing platform for industry certifications. Recognized companies and trade associations such as Southwest Airlines, Express Employment Professionals, Elanco and BASF utilize iCEV as the testing platform for their certifications.
CompTIA offers training solutions to provide traditional accelerated courses and fully customized training to meet business needs. With job-focused training that mirrors the workplace, learners have greater employment and advancement opportunities. Our custom offerings include access to the entire CompTIA certification catalog with labs and hands-on training, as well as soft, employability skills training. CompTIA Custom Training brings best-in-class instructor-led training on-site or in a virtual environment to workforce development initiatives, corporations, academic institutions, government entities and nonprofit organizations.
The Conover Company has been developing tools for over 40 years to help workforce professionals assess and train their clients with the social and emotional skills for success. Their online tools help you stay focused on outcomes by making sure the assessments drive training so it is meaningful for every individual client you serve and you get the results you are looking for.
professionals puts the industry's best practices to work across more than 350 North American
locations, assisting approximately 1.9 million job seekers and thousands of employers annually.
Together with our partners and collaborators, we work every day to change lives, advance
economies, and help communities thrive.
Grant Associates is a national, award-winning workforce development company. Since opening our doors in 1997, we have collaborated with government agencies to develop workforce programs and solutions that create the opportunities that advance job seekers, businesses and local economies, all with exceptional results. At Grant Associates, we know every community's workforce needs are unique. With proven models and in active partnership with government, Grant Associates' mission is to tailor solutions that build workforce capacity, proving over the past two decades that our approach helps a community reach its true potential.
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