From the CEO's Desk:
Greetings,
We have had a very busy summer, which has spilled right into fall. We are in the process of expanding our in-person services in our workforce centers and bringing back more of our workforce and child care staff to accommodate that increase.
There has also been tremendous acceptance and use of the virtual services we have been able to supply but are still missing a crucial segment of the population that cannot access these opportunities. We have taken all the precautions we can to ensure the safety of the staff and the public and feel confident we can safely provide in-person services.
We continue to see great demand for our weekly “Workforce Wednesdays” virtual job fairs. We are also celebrating the success of the 9th Annual Hiring Red, White, & You Statewide Veterans Hiring Fair, which was held virtually this year on November 5. We combined outreach efforts for this great event with the Capital Area, Heart of Texas, Central Texas and Alamo boards, to create a “Warrior Welcome Central Texas” promotion that covered the entire I-35 corridor from Waco to San Antonio.
Our efforts to enhance child care access throughout the region continues to ensure our kids have a safe and high-quality local place to receive care and early-childhood education, while their parents are working and upskilling through training.
I will close by noting that October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Manufacturing Month, and we held multiple board events to celebrate these important workforce tools. In November, we are recognizing the value of the "earn-while-you-learn" apprenticeship model, by co-hosting the Trade Up Texas Virtual Fair on November 12, during National/Texas Apprenticeship Week, as well as a manufacturing webinar with Tesla. Please visit our website to learn more about our local events — we hope to see you take part.
- 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.
Apprenticeship is a proven approach for preparing workers for jobs while meeting the needs of business for a highly-skilled workforce. It is an employer-driven, “learn-while-you-earn” model that combines on-the-job training, provided by the employer that hires the apprentice, with job-related instruction in curricula tied to the attainment of national skills standards. It's a training model that is centuries old, and also involves progressive increases in an apprentice’s skills and wages.
Apprenticeship is a flexible training strategy that can be customized to meet the needs of any business. Apprentices can be new hires, or businesses can select current employees who need skill upgrades to join the apprenticeship program.
We’re proud to celebrate how apprenticeships help businesses develop highly-skilled employees and empower apprentices to upskill and forge sustainable careers. The apprenticeship model is leading the way in preparing American workers to compete in today’s economy. Ready to explore apprenticeship? We can help! Call our team: 1-844-344-2780.
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week and Texas Apprenticeship Week, November 8-14, 2020, our partner, Commissioner Representing Labor, Julian Alvarez, of the Texas Workforce Commission, shared a message about how apprenticeship is being expanded across Texas, and is preparing our workforce to meet the talent needs of employers across diverse industries. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/msvCLaprtSs
 
Learn a Skill. Master a Trade! Central Texas students and job seekers, join us on Thursday, November 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Trade Up Texas Virtual Fair, hosted by Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, to highlight skilled-trade careers.
- Connect with employers & training providers
- Explore on-the-job training & apprenticeship opportunities
- Join live seminars on resume prep, interview prep, & building soft/essential skills
- Take part in live panels with Central Texas professionals in the skilled trades, manufacturing & logistics
Don't miss this opportunity to launch your career right from your own computer, or mobile device.
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, are proud to host a webinar discussion on Thursday, November 12, at 1:30 p.m., between Commissioner Representing Employers, Aaron Demerson, with the Texas Workforce Commission, and Rohan Patel, Senior Director, Public Policy and Business Development, with Tesla, to explore how the automaker's upcoming Gigafactory in Austin will help enhance the Central Texas Manufacturing Industry, and create innovative opportunities for our region’s world-class workforce.
The $1.1 billion Austin Gigfactory, reportedly to be complete in May 2021, will become the future production center of the company’s Cybertrucks, and create at least 5,000 new jobs.
Join the discussion and learn more about what it might be like to work for one of the most exciting companies in the world.
WSRCA is committed to connecting you to best practices, resources and thought leaders to empower your business or career.
Explore some of the webinars we've hosted with workforce, business and education experts from across Texas, and the nation:
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/
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is looking to hire hundreds of workers ahead of the 2021 tax season and WSRCA is hosting virtual hiring events every Tuesday through November to help them connect with you.
Live info sessions and interviews will be held every Tuesday through November 24, 2020.
As part of the IRS workforce, your efforts will help make America stronger as it continues to support the nation’s most vital programs, from Homeland Security to America’s defense, to Social Security — as well as programs and projects that are a bit closer to home, like parklands and forests, roads and bridges, libraries, museums, schools, and more.
Explore exciting full-time careers for varied backgrounds, including temporary and seasonal jobs during tax filing season. The IRS offers meaningful and interesting work, great benefits and the opportunity to enjoy work/life balance.
Explore the available positions on WorkInTexas.com and apply in advance:
Position # - Job Title
- 14221217 - Cash Clerk *Seasonal*
- 14219836 - Clerk *Seasonal*
- 14221228 - Data Transcriber *Seasonal*
- 14219660 - Mail & File Clerk *Seasonal*
- 14219683 - Mail Clerk *Part-Time Temporary Not to Exceed 90 Days *MBE*
- 14219690 - Mail Clerk *Part-Time Temporary Not to Exceed 90 Days*
- 14219711 - Mail Clerk *Temporary Not to Exceed 90 Days *
- 14219757 - Tax Examining Technician *Seasonal*
Use Your Talents to Fund Our Nation's Future at the IRS!
Our community needs you and employers are hiring! Beat the rush and launch your job search on WorkInTexas.com.
With 800,000+ 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.
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.
Through federal, state and local funding, our Child Care Services (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.
Thank you Rural Capital Area veterans, employers, and community partners, for helping us make the 9th Annual Hiring Red, White & You! Statewide Veterans Hiring Event an amazing success. We're grateful for the opportunity to help talented Texas Veterans connect virtually, and safely, with great Texas Employers.
We had more than 500 participants engage in over 786 sessions with 60+ employers at our Rural Capital Area virtual fair. That is a more than 150 percent increase in attendance from the 2019 in-person event. Of the attendees, more than 78 percent were new users of our virtual fair platform.
What makes this effort by our teams even more amazing is that we had over 700 attendees the day before at our Workforce Wednesday Hiring Event, making the total for the week 1,244 job fair attendees.
At this great time of need for our communities, our commitment to connect Central Texans to sustainable workforce solutions is delivering results, for a stronger economic recovery.
We would also like to thank our Workforce Solutions partners in the Capital Area, Heart of Texas, Central Texas and Alamo regions, as well as the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission and the Texas Medical Center, for helping us launch the “Warrior Welcome Central Texas” outreach effort, that included multi-platform messaging that spanned the entire I-35 corridor from Waco to San Antonio, encompassing 36 counties.
Don't miss our next hiring event or workshop - check our calendar for updates: www.workforcesolutionsrca.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
- Upskilling for Success
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.
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 joined with Metrix Learning to offer over 5,000 online courses free to all Texans. These courses count as work search activities. Individuals wishing to sign up can do so through their WorkinTexas.com account.
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
WSRCA is proud to have partnered with Kalahari Resorts to help build their amazing workforce ahead of their November 12 grand opening in Round Rock. Through Drive-Thru, in-person and weekly virtual hiring events in the Rural Capital Area these past few months, Kalahari has created new career opportunities for more than a thousand Central Texans. Looking to join one of the largest resort, convention and theme parks in the world? Kalahari Resorts has only a handful of key positions remaining open - Apply today through your WorkinTexas.com account:
Position # - Job Title
- 14242402 - Entry Level Cooks
- 14107222 - Housekeeping Staff
- 14245902 - Dishwashers
Don't miss your chance to be on the opening team for this incredible moment in Kalahari history.
Welcome to the Rural Capital Area, Kalahari Resorts, and thank you for your investments in our community.
WSRCA is looking for participants to join the National Dislocated Worker Grant Program (NDWG). Through this program you will have access to job opportunities with employers that are working to minimize the impact of COVID-19 in your community.
You can qualify if you are:
- Receiving unemployment benefits due to being temporarily or permanently laid off, or having drastically reduced hours at work
- A long-term unemployed worker
Additional benefits for participating in program:
- Individualized career counseling, job search assistance, and
support assistance for work related expenses
- Job skills workshops, career assessments, and career
planning
- Opportunities to enroll in training or certification programs
for some of the most highly sought occupations
To complete an interest survey and be contacted by one of our NDWG representatives click here.
*Must show proof of age, authorization to work, and selective service registry*
Contact your Rural Capital Area NDWG representative today!
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