SHARE:  
https://files.constantcontact.com/cdecfe9d401/dd4380cd-c52c-4559-81ac-2f7d3717e8fe.jpg?rdr=true

Workforce Update - October 2024

E-Newsletter Sponsor:

2024 TAWB Civil Rights Training Workshop

More than 40 individuals attended the annual TAWB Civil Rights Training Workshop October 21-23 at the North Central Texas Council of Governments offices in Arlington.



Workshop presenter Seena Foster, principal of Title VI Consulting, addressed a variety of issues relating to:

• The Equal Opportunity Officer

• Taglines, Assurances, and Babel Notices

• Customer Experience: Disability, LEP, and LGBTQX+

• Data collection, use, storage, and disclosure

• Monitoring

• Discrimination Complaint Investigations: Proper Process and Technique


TWC’s Equal Opportunity Compliance Department (EOCD) also facilitated a training on October 21 covering the 2024 Nondiscrimination Plan and its elements, Workforce Development (WD) Letters, and other EO topics. 


Special thanks to Workforce Solutions North Central Texas for hosting the training and providing staff support!

The Brand Amplifier for Workforce & Education

TAWB is now live with The Brand Amplifier for Workforce & Education course in partnership with Full Capacity Marketing (FCM). You can check out the landing page for all the details of the course curriculum, and view the national press release that was released earlier this year.

The online self-paced course comes with templates, case studies and tools to help you build a tailored and doable marketing and communications plan. Click on the flyer here to access learning outcomes and descriptions.

Latest News

Why workers and employers needed a Good Jobs Executive Order

On Sept. 6 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Acting Secretary Julie Su joined President Biden as he signed the Investing in America and Investing in Americans Executive Order. Or as we call it, the Good Jobs Executive Order.


TWC Kicks Off 13th Annual Statewide Hiring Initiative for Veterans and Their Families

From November 1-22, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is hosting the 13th annual Hiring Red, White & You! event series. This statewide event connects employers with veterans, transitioning military members, and military spouses.


Texas Civilian Labor Force Exceeds 15.4 Million, Over 29,000 Jobs Added

Texas’ labor market achieved new record highs in September in terms of the job count and number of people in the civilian labor force.


Nearly half of Texas high school students who earn college credits are Hispanic, study says

Despite the group’s strong participation, Hispanic students graduate college at a lower rate than peers in the program, according to a report.


When Texas students don’t show up to class, it hurts learning – and funding

Attendance hasn’t fully rebounded since the pandemic, costing public schools millions.


Texas’ abortion laws are straining the OB/GYN workforce, new study shows

More doctors are considering leaving or retiring early, while fewer medical students are applying to obstetrics and gynecology residencies in Texas.


$20M Available for Out-of-School Time Organizations to Increase Access to Good Jobs

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of up to $20 million in grants for national out-of-school time organizations to expand local work-based learning opportunities, job training, and career pathways for underserved youth after school and during the summer.


Here and There‑‑(Mostly Here)!

A number of studies indicate that many of the folks coming to Texas are in prime working age ranges, with a substantial number of them possessing in-demand skills and training.

Texas Legislature

Several Texas state legislative committees have been meeting recently to address

charges given to them during the interim between regular legislative sessions. Upcoming

meetings of interest include:


Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee

Thursday, November 14, 2024; 10:00 AM


Enhancing Workforce Productivity: Study ways to increase the state’s workforce productivity, including access to childcare. Make recommendations, within existing resources, to maintain childcare availability to support a growing workforce.

Workforce Development Resources

Brand Videos: A Valuable Asset for Workforce & Education Organizations

Brand videos can solve a host of challenges that workforce and education organizations face, such as:

• poor awareness levels within its service area;

• a lack of understanding of the depth and breadth of your services;

• difficulties in attracting the right populations to your programs;

• poor messaging that doesn't fully describe your key value propositions;

• inability to expand reach within your market.


Our latest blog explores how Hacienda La Puente Adult Education used a brand video as part of an integrated marketing campaign to increase brand awareness, community engagement, and student enrollment. 


Review: Cultivating Talent in Rural America: A Guide to Talent Development and Attraction in Rural Communities by Isaac Lee

Isaac Lee's focus on leveraging local assets, fostering community, and creating opportunities that align with rural values provides a compelling framework for rural revitalization.


Secure your financial future: Tools for people with disabilities

The Secure Your Financial Future toolkit, jointly developed by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, is an up-to-date repository of financial literacy tools and resources beneficial to all Americans, including individuals with disabilities, striving to achieve financial stability.


Navigating the Multigenerational Workforce

With up to five generations working side by side, corporate boards must balance differing values, communication and work styles. Millennials are now the largest segment, underscoring the need for management approaches that enhance cross-generational engagement and adaptability to ensure organizational progress.


Research Roundup: Expanding Internships, Industrial Workforce Policy, Dual Enrollment

Expanding Internships: Harnessing Employer Insights to Boost Opportunity and Enhance Learning: A recent report released by the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) outlines the landscape of undergraduate internship offerings. BHEF found that while internships have proven to be extremely important for students in securing jobs after college, access remains limited, particularly for first-generation students, individuals of color and community college students.


Workforce Strategies for New Industrial Policies: Governors’ Emerging Solutions

Workforce Strategies for New Industrial Policies: Governors’ Emerging Solutions: The National Governors Association (NGA) released a report regarding new state industrial policies and what they mean for the future workforce. Governors in many states have allocated a significant amount of money to infrastructure, clean energy and manufacturing efforts, but more needs to be done for the workforce that will handle the projected millions of new jobs that will become available in those sectors.


October Texas Labor Market Review

Monthly newsletter produced by TWC Labor Market and Career Information Department

covering issues relating to the Texas economy.

TAWB Partners Spotlight

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.


iCEV: Since 1984, iCEV has specialized in providing quality CTE curriculum and educational resources. iCEV is the most comprehensive online resource for CTE educators and students, offering curriculum for several major subject areas, including agricultural science, trade & industrial education, business & marketing, career exploration, family & consumer science, health science, law enforcement and STEM education. Additionally, iCEV acts as a certification testing platform for industry certifications. Nationally and internationally recognized companies and organizations utilize iCEV as the testing platform for their certifications. For more information, visit www.icevonline.com.


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.


Craft Education System is the leading education technology company focused on apprentice-based programs, establishing and facilitating on-the-job training aligned with degree programs and work-ready skills. Craft is developing the ecosystem platform for enabling work-based pathways across higher education, employer partners and the workforce system.


Equifax/Carahsoft delivers trusted, unique data, analytics, technology, and expertise to drive innovation and transform knowledge into insights. Equifax empowers government agencies, nonprofit organizations, workforce boards and commercial clients to make more informed decisions, maximize program efficiency, and improve the customer experience. Equifax manages The Work Number®, the largest, centralized commercial repository of consolidated employment and income information for use by the private and public sectors. For customers with a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), Equifax enables real-time eligibility decisions by providing verifications of employment and income. Data is updated every pay period (as provided by the employer), so you have access to the most up-to-date information to gauge program success of the individuals who have elected to participate in the program. For more information about the Equifax Products and Services visit the website https://www.carahsoft.com/equifax or contact us at 844.747.6222.


Equus Workforce Solutions: Our dedicated and passionate team of 2,500+ workforce

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.


Geographic Solutions is the leading provider of integrated software for state and local workforce agencies in over 35 states and U.S. territories. For 30 years, the company has developed innovative online solutions for job seekers, employers, service providers, and agency staff that enhance service delivery and increase customer satisfaction. Geographic Solutions’ custom software solutions effectively manage all federally-funded partner programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and have been designed specifically to meet the diverse needs of American Job Centers, economic development agencies, human service entities, unemployment agencies, departments of corrections, and educational institutions.


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.


KRA Corporation, a national leader in workforce development for 40+ years, supports workforce boards by delivering WIOA, TANF, SNAP-E&T, and related programs, including initiatives targeting specific employer and jobseeker requirements. A black-owned company, KRA leads efforts to integrate DEI into workforce development. We also lead the industry in delivering a consultative approach to business services, and infuse family-focused principles into everything we do. KRA leverages all available resources, partnering to integrate education, skills development, occupational training, support services, and employment. KRA provides the highest levels of innovative programming, exceptional service, and trusted results for all valued clients, businesses, and jobseekers.


Metrix Learning® is an online learning platform designed to meet the needs of states, workforce boards, and their customers. Learners can assess their job skills, remediate skill gaps, and take over 100 certification training programs to prepare for new employment opportunities. Metrix Learning® offers over 6,000 online courses, career pathways tools, digital badges, gamification, and is integrated with WorkInTexas.


Purpose Co is a workforce consulting firm that specializes in designing and implementing custom workforce solutions and strategies that create sustainable outcomes for people and businesses, including pathways to quality in-demand jobs, economic mobility, competitive businesses and regional economic prosperity, including solutions that address the specific needs of job seekers, workers, employers and practitioners.


QuickStart exists to create world-class technologists by personalizing and individualizing training to address the massive skills gap in the IT industry. Through 20 years of research and data analysis, we’ve learned that a modern learner prefers to learn through multiple modalities such as self-paced online learning, virtual instructor-led training, on-the-job training, implementation and hands-on experience through labs, mentoring, and social and peer-to-peer learning. We packaged all the modalities into a single cloud-based platform called CLIPP.


Texas Economic Development Council: The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) is an Austin-based professional association for economic developers across the state of Texas. We are the largest state association of economic development professionals, volunteers, and elected officials. Our membership consists of over 1,000 individuals, representing more than 630 public and private economic development organizations, including more than 400 communities. Our diverse and expansive membership shares a common goal -- bringing new investment and jobs to Texas by developing strategies that promote a positive business climate in our state.

X  LinkedIn