From the CEO's Desk:
Greetings,
March was a productive month for the Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area Board. We ended the month with a big virtual kickoff for the Strategic Workforce Plan we have been working on for so long.
As part of the launch of our regional and county strategies within the Strategic Plan, we have been collaborating with leadership partners in each of our counties. Together, we’re developing strategies to support each county’s launch, finalizing our committee lists, and scheduling our first Community Matters Coalition meetings. If you have any questions in regards to our efforts in each of the counties individually, please reach out to cara.dimattinaryan@ruralcapital.net.
We continue to work daily with employers, jobseekers, child care providers, and parents to help get Central Texans back to work, to fill the important roles our local employers need for their businesses.
We look forward to seeing more of you in person as those type of events become easier to put together. Happy Easter!
- Paul Fletcher
Chief Executive Officer
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA)
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Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), the non-profit community partnership providing no-cost recruitment and employment services in the nine-county Rural Capital Area of Central Texas, introduced its Strategic Workforce Plan during a live kickoff event on Wednesday. The WSRCA Strategic Plan is focused on enhancing community collaboration around workforce development to amplify the impact of workforce initiatives and programs across the region.
Click to review the full release and a copy of the Plan.
WSRCA joined with Rural Capital Area community partners and business leaders at the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting, on March 25, at the City of San Marcos Conference Center, to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted our local community, and what is being done now to recover and come back stronger than ever. Many thanks to everyone who took part.
Review media coverage of the event:
WSRCA was awarded a Pursuit of Advanced Training in High-Demand Skills (PATHS) grant funded through the Walmart Foundation. PATHS For Texas is a statewide initiative to provide industry and nationally recognized training and upskill opportunities to improve employee retention, to support career advancement, and to promote success for workers and job seekers in customer facing industries.
Businesses and individuals within our nine-county region can benefit from PATHS.
Specific and individualized training options are available that offer certifications and degrees and are offered by industry recognized providers. Classes are online and self-paced. All at No Cost to You!
To learn more about how to provide your employees with upskill and training opportunities, please email businessservices@ruralcapital.net. A PATHS for Texas Coordinator will follow up with you.
The new MyTXCareer.com portal launched by our partners at TWC is live, and provides a faster, easier registration than WorkInTexas.com. MyTXCareer is designed specifically for job seekers; Think of this system as a new, easier doorway into WorkInTexas. Individuals who register through the portal will have their information in WorkInTexas.
WorkinTexas.com is a comprehensive online job search resource and matching system developed and maintained by TWC. WorkInTexas.com provides recruiting assistance to Texas employers of all types and sizes, and job search assistance to anyone seeking work in Texas.
See TWC's Press Release: MyTXCareer.com Helps Texans Find Jobs, Return to Work
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.
We are driven to empower businesses, employers and job seekers in our 9-county region, to fuel the economic growth and family self-sufficiency of our communities. Who are we? #WeAreRuralCapitalArea
Meet our amazing Talent Development Specialist, Marla Fernandez, in this team spotlight video:
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.
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.
Our partners at the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced the launch of the “We Hire Ability” employer recognition program to celebrate and highlight Texas employers for their commitment to hiring individuals with disabilities and recognizing employers’ important role in helping to ensure a diverse and inclusive Texas workforce.
We Hire Ability recognizes exceptional businesses who are committed to employing people with disabilities in an integrated workplace setting, and with at least 10 percent of their Texas-based workforce comprising people with disabilities. Integrated workplaces include coworkers with and without disabilities working alongside one another.
To receive a We Hire Ability decal, employers may nominate themselves or be nominated by Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards), local Vocational Rehabilitation management, or a local mayoral or county committee that works in partnership with the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities.
For more information on the “We Hire Ability” program or to submit a We Hire Ability nomination, visit https://twc.texas.gov/partners/WeHireAbility.
Join our partners at Texas Workforce Solutions-Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR) for a virtual job fair on April 5, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You will be able to interact with employers that are currently recruiting for remote work employment opportunities. All interaction takes place completely online. The virtual job fair allows you to:
- Explore career opportunities available to you.
- Engage directly with employers of your choice via real-time online public or private chatting options.
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, or email businessservices@ruralcapital.net.
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:
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.
We are Proud to Serve! Our amazing Rural Capital Area Child Care Services (CCS) team hosted another round of events to distribute critical health and safety supplies to dozens of local early childhood development centers, which are providing care and education to the children of our community's workers. Multiple events were held throughout 2020, to ensure providers had the supplies they needed to remain open and to keep their children and their families safe. To date, more than $75,000 in pandemic supplies has been distributed to more than 80 child care providers across the nine-county region.
Our wonderful community-focused collaborations are what make the Rural Capital Area the best place in the country to live, work, and do business.
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.
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.
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
- Overcoming Ageism in Job Search
- Upskilling for Success
- Salary Negotiation Techniques
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.
Looking to upskill? Take advantage of free access to more than 20,000 virtual learning courses to upgrade your skills and get you ready for immediate job opportunities.
Our partners at TWC are offering access to over 5,000 free online training courses for all Texans through Metrix Learning’s Skillsoft courseware. When combined with the 16,000-plus virtual courses WSRCA offers through LinkedIn Learning as well as Academy, there’s no better time to ramp up your skills and marketability for local careers in high-demand industries.
For more information about LinkedIn Learning, please contact us at 1-844-344-2780.
To learn more about the Metrix Learning program visit https://tx.metrixlearning.com, or sign up through your WorkinTexas.com account.
Have an amazing business idea? Looking to take your startup to the next level? We’ve joined with the Texas State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)’s Entrepreneurial Network to offer free Business Plan Development Workshops both online and in-person.
Participants completing all modules will have the opportunity to present their business plan to experts in the field.
Get started: https://entrepreneur.txstate.edu/BP-Workshops.html
WSRCA is proud to partner with Kalahari Resorts Texas to help continue building their amazing workforce in Round Rock. Kalahari Resorts has already created new career opportunities for more 1,400 Central Texans, and they are looking to recruit more local talent through their upcoming career fair on April 12, from 4-7 p.m.
Join the team operating one of the largest resort, convention and theme parks in the world. Apply today through your MyTXCareer.com or WorkinTexas.com accounts.
Welcome to the Rural Capital Area, Kalahari Resorts, and thank you for your continued investments in our community.
The unadjusted unemployment rate of the Rural Capital Area of Central Texas rose to 5.6 percent in February 2021, a slight increase from the 5.3 percent rate recorded in January 2021, according to figures released by TWC. The 5.6 percent unemployment rate in the nine-county Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area represented 31,735 residents seeking employment. The region’s unemployment rate remained below both the Texas (7.5 percent) and national (6.6 percent) rates.
Click to review the full release and additional February 2021 labor market data for each county.
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