From the CEO's Desk:
Greetings,
Happy September to all of our workforce customers and partners in the Rural Capital Area.
It has been a truly memorable summer with all the changes we have been through due to the pandemic.
As we move into fall, we are making progress on reopening our workforce centers to the public, so that we can make sure we are able to provide services for our customers that cannot access our virtual services.
We are seeing the unemployment rates in our area continue to drop, and we are rapidly getting back to having more jobs available than we have qualified candidates.
Our virtual job fair platform is one way we are ensuring that employers have access to as many job seekers as possible, and that job seekers can see all their options for employment. The new technology we have acquired really helps us better communicate with our customers in many different ways, and will help us as we continue in this economic recovery to provide the talent supply chain our businesses need.
One critical element to our economic success is quality child care. During the pandemic, and now as we start to return to work and school, we really see just how important this is and we are working diligently with our child care providers to make sure they have the resources they need to keep the kids, and their staff safe by distributing health and safety supplies.
We continue our work on a strategic plan and we should see results from this work over the next several months. The pandemic has been a challenge for us in many ways, but it has also allowed us to take some very large leaps into the future, in regards to service delivery to our customers.
We look forward to helping shape the future of work as we hopefully begin the economic recovery.
- Paul Fletcher
Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA)
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WSRCA would like to recognize our Board of Directors for their continued service to our communities, and have launched a new spotlight campaign to help you learn a little more about the amazing people dedicated to creating opportunities in Central Texas, where Business and Careers Meet.
WSRCA is a nonprofit community partnership led by an all-volunteer Board, comprised of recognized community leaders across many areas of expertise, including: business; community-based organizations; economic development; education; government; literacy; labor; and vocational rehabilitation.
Our Board of Directors contribute significant amounts of time, talent, and energy to further our organizational mission of empowering the workforce of our 9-county Rural Capital Area. Please help us thank them for their commitment.
Your WSRCA team is eager to help you in person, and has begun a phased reopening of our career centers and offices, for customers with curbside, or in-office appointments, across the nine-county region. Our services will continue to remain available virtually to meet your immediate workforce needs.
Visitors with appointment are required to wear a face covering and engage in appropriate social distancing.
See the menu of services and book an appointment on the WSRCA website.
Join us online every Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for our Workforce Wednesdays Virtual Career Expo. Register to virtually connect with dozens of hiring recruiters from multiple local companies. Learn about their exciting career, apprenticeship and internship opportunities in the Rural Capital Area, and take part in free virtual career-enhancement workshops right from your own computer, or mobile device. All job seekers welcome.
Job Seekers, register today: bit.ly/wsrcavirtualcareerexpo
Employers, Free Recruiting Booths Are Available: https://ruralcapitalarea.getyourbooth.com/
Our community needs you and employers are hiring! Beat the rush and launch your job search on WorkInTexas.com.
With 700,000+ job openings right now, be matched with immediate opportunities and apply today:
- Register on WorkInTexas.com
- Click “Job Search”
Job seekers have access to tools designed to help your resume stand out and match your skills to the jobs looking for you. Plus, there’s resume versioning, a cover letter builder and career planning resources.
With a Virtual Recruiter and candidate scoring and ranking, employers can expect improved talent matching and more efficient screening. And, the site offers Texas-specific labor market data to support informed business decisions in planning your job positions and wages.
Use your existing login information to access the site. Review and verify or update your information and job history. Set up the Virtual Recruiter and let the website start working for you.
We are proud to support WorkInTexas.com. If you need assistance with the site, contact our team: 1-844-344-2780.
If you're not hiring employees with disabilities, you're limiting your reach! Recruiting talented workers of all abilities and experiences can have a positive impact on your bottom line. Our partners at Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services can help you get started.
All you need to remove barriers that limit hiring and accommodating an employee with a disability is an innovative spirit. Visit our website to learn more.
Workplaces welcoming of the talents of all people, including people with disabilities, are a critical part of our efforts to build an inclusive Central Texas community and a strong local economy. In this spirit, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area and our partners at Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services, are recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October to raise awareness about disability employment issues and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of people with disabilities.
Activities during the month will include free local webinars each week, to reinforce the value and talent people with disabilities add to our workplaces and communities, and affirm Rural Capital Area's commitment to an inclusive community. See the webinar schedule and register to attend a Zoom session through our website: www.workforcesolutionsrca.com.
Held annually on the first Friday in October, Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) helps show the reality of modern manufacturing careers by encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders.
As manufacturers seek to fill 4.6 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying jobs over the next decade, MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive. We're partnering with the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association to host virtual events on Oct. 2, and throughout the month, to help connect job seekers of all ages to the amazing career opportunities available with local manufacturers. Visit our website to learn more: www.workforcesolutionsrca.com
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We understand that the success of your business is largely dependent on the ability to find qualified candidates to fill your staffing needs. Yet, the task of finding and maintaining employees with the right skills, training and education can be daunting.
That's where we come in. Our WSRCA Business Services Team assists employers like you at every stage of your workforce needs:
- Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring Candidates of All Abilities
- Virtual Job Fairs
- Job Postings on WorkInTexas.com
- Customized Skills Training
- Labor Market Information
- Layoff Assistance
Visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com to learn more.
We are Proud to Serve! Kim Paper and our amazing Rural Capital Area Child Care Services (CCS) team, re-joined for a third and fourth distribution of critical health and safety supplies to more than 60 early childhood development centers in Williamson and Hays counties, which are providing care and education to the children of our community's workers.
The kid-friendly face masks were made by local quilters and given to child care teachers and directors. Our wonderful community-focused collaborations are what make the Rural Capital Area the best place in the country to live, work and do business.
Through federal, state and local funding, our CCS team is able to provide financial aid for eligible families and connect them to professional development opportunities. The Texas Rising Star child care providers that partner with us, voluntarily meet requirements that exceed the state’s minimum Child Care Licensing standards. Your child deserves the best. Visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com to learn more about the CCS program.
Veterans, you've served your country—now let Texas serve you! Whether you want to know more about transitioning into a civilian career, job search assistance, educational resources such as the College Credit for Heroes program, or other veterans' training benefits, our Veterans Services Coordinators are here to help. Visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com for more on our priority services for veterans.
Attention all Veterans, transitioning military service members, and spouses, our partners at the American Legion Department of Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Veterans Commission, have joined to host a Veterans Virtual Career Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with more than 115 Texas Employers who are eager to hire our nation's heroes.
Register today: https://premiervirtual.com/event/register/theamericanlegion-texasveterans
Need highly-trained, qualified workers for your business? Host a free interactive booth at Warrior Welcome Central Texas, the largest veterans virtual hiring experience in the state, being held on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Warrior Welcome Central Texas is a key part of the 9th Annual Hiring Red, White and You Veteran Statewide Hiring Events being held virtually across Texas on the same day.
Veterans offer advanced skills, experience and talents to lead our local industries into a new and innovative future. Don’t miss this great opportunity at to recruit talented veterans and support our Central Texas communities.
Design and build your free interactive booth today: https://ruralcapitalarea.getyourbooth.com/
UpSkill your career! Our online workshops offer in-depth interactive learning to build critical skills and knowledge—and give you the tools to succeed.
Virtual Workshops include:
- Introduction to Workforce Services
- Find Your Path: Career Exploration
- How to Create Effective Resumes and Cover Letters
- Customizing State and Other Applications
- Effective Job Search Strategies
- How to Have an A+ Interview
- So What if You Are 40 or Older
- Making Work in Texas Work For You
- Job Search in the Digital Age
- Coping With a Job Loss
- Managing Money While Unemployed
Visit the events calendar on www.workforcesolutionsrca.com to find a training workshop near you. Can't attend a session? We have video workshops for you to enjoy on our website.
Congratulations to Louis Walker and all of our summer program graduates, for completing their sponsored training and launching careers in high-demand industries. Louis is now a Certified Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver, creating a pathway for a sustainable career. By 2026, our nation’s workforce will need 217,000+ commercial drivers to meet the demands of industries.
We're honored to help customers upskill to create opportunities and we have solutions for you with our training partners. See the Target/Demand Occupations Lists for our region and enhance your career journey.
Review our Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices to see where you are now and what it takes to upskill and reach your goals.
The WSRCA Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices are designed to visibly highlight the dynamics of strategic career mobility and the importance of a skilled workforce.
The Rural Capital Area career progression lattices flow from an anchor or entry-level occupation and encompass all 39 of the approved Target Occupations identified as most in demand in the region, that also pay a self-sufficient wage of at least $18.00 per hour.
Review the Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices Below:
Learn more about the Lattices on our website, and download "The Future Is Ahead of You" report on Career Progressions in the Rural Capital Area.
We are pleased to announce that unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning is now available to WSRCA participants at no cost.
For more information about LinkedIn Learning, please contact us: 📞1-844-344-2780
Our Talent Development Team will get you set up through The Academy learning portal so you can begin to take advantage of free online training.
Our partners at TWC have begun to offer free online training courses for unemployment customers through Metrix Learning’s Skillsoft courseware.
The virtual platform delivers a convenient course experience developed by industry-leading learning experts, to empower job seekers to develop skills in training tracks for 100+ industry certifications that employers are looking for most.
Learn more about the program: https://tx.metrixlearning.com/sd/index_tx.cfm
The unadjusted unemployment rate in the Rural Capital Area of central Texas continues to signal that economic recovery is underway in key industries impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, sliding to 6.3 percent in July 2020, down from 6.9 percent in June, according to figures released by TWC. The 6.3 percent unemployment rate in the nine-county WSRCA region, represented 34,339 residents seeking employment. The region’s unemployment rate remained below both the Texas (8.2 percent) and national (10.5 percent) rates.
Click to read more and review additional labor market information for our region.
For the latest information on the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce of our region, updated weekly, please visit the COVID-19 Impact Dashboard on our website.
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