From the CEO's Desk:
Greetings,
May is turning out to be an extremely productive month. We are full steam ahead on rolling out our County Workforce Plans and establishing the individual Workforce Matters Coalitions. We were excited to be invited to participate in the Ready, Set, Thrive event put on by the City of Kyle Economic Development and the Kyle Chamber of Commerce, to talk about educational and workforce services available to aid in economic recovery.
We are making good headway implementing the PATHS for Texas grant to help employers with training and recruitment of frontline customer-facing staff, especially in the restaurant and hospitality areas.
Finally, I want to note the beneficial tools that we’ve implemented throughout our communities to help get Central Texans back to work. Resources such as our weekly Workforce Wednesdays hiring events empower job seekers to connect with local employers to fill their open roles and help keep their enterprises going, growing and thriving.
- Paul Fletcher
Chief Executive Officer
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA)
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Help guide workforce development efforts in your community! Join us to learn more about how the Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area Strategic Plan will be put into motion within the following counties:
We hope you will consider joining our Workforce Matters Coalitions to strengthen the workforce ecosystem in each county.
Don't miss this opportunity to empower the workforce of our local industries, and help fuel the economic recovery of our region.
WSRCA is proud to have partnered with the City of Kyle Economic Development and the Kyle Chamber of Commerce to host the free employer webinar “Ready. Set. Thrive! Empowering your Business through Workforce Solutions” to help kickoff Economic Development Week in Kyle.
The webinar featured an array of panelists that specialize in workforce development and helping employers grow their businesses by utilizing the public workforce system, regional resources, and data-driven strategies to attract and retain talent.
Panelists included WSRCA CEO, Paul Fletcher, WSRCA COO, Diane Tackett, and WSRCA Business Services Manager, Carl Braun, as well as, Don Tracy, Director of Corporate & Community Education for the Continuing Education Division at Austin Community College, and Ryan Merritt, Workforce Development Coordinator with Hays CISD Career & Technical Education.
Many thanks to webinar moderator, Diana Blank-Torres, Director of Economic Development for the City of Kyle, and organizers, Julie Snyder, CEO of the Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce, and Victoria Vargas, Economic Development Specialist for the City of Kyle.
Watch video of the webinar:
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!
Get details about how to provide your employees with training opportunities:
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.
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 Hiring Experience. Register today to virtually connect with hiring recruiters hosting interactive booths from dozens of local companies. Explore their exciting career, apprenticeship and internship opportunities in the Rural Capital Area, chat with employers, and take part in free virtual career-enhancement workshops right from your own computer, or mobile device. All job seekers welcome.
Job Seeker Registration: http://bit.ly/workforcewednesdaysexpo
Employer Registration: http://bit.ly/workforcewednesdaysemployer
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, or email businessservices@ruralcapital.net.
The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open.
This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location.
Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.
Learn how to apply: https://sba.gov/restaurants
Get help with your application: 1-844-279-8898
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.
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:
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
- Creating an Effective LinkedIn
- Managing Money While Unemployed
- Navigating a Job Loss
- Overcoming Ageism in Job Search
- Upskilling for Success
- Salary Negotiation Techniques
- Job Search: Post-Covid
- Re-Entering the Workplace
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.
WSRCA is proud to continue offering Central Texans expanded upskilling opportunities by providing free access to the 5-Minute Countdown Series hosted by the Dynamic Works Institute (DWI).
DWI offers hundreds of virtual, interactive courses, coaching, and live webinars to transform the value and success individuals, corporations, and community-based organizations derive from their work.
Get Started:
Step 1: Visit Dynamic Works Institute and click on My Learning
Step 2: Enter registration code WSRCA and click Register
Step 3: Complete required fields
Step 4: Check your email to verify your account
Step 5: Get your Upskill on! Begin your 5-Minute Countdown Series.
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
Unsure where your career is headed? Looking to understand how our local industries are rebounding from the pandemic? Utilize our Rural Capital Headlight Tool to review:
- Economic Overviews by County
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Wages/Income
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Employment trends
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Occupation snapshots
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Industry Clusters
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Education Levels
It’s where to go, to be in the know: http://ruralcapitalheadlight.com
The unadjusted unemployment rate of the Rural Capital Area of Central Texas slid down to 5.3 percent in March 2021, a drop from the 5.6 percent rate recorded in February, according to figures released by TWC. The 5.3 percent unemployment rate in the nine-county workforce development area represented 30,334 residents seeking employment. The region’s unemployment rate remained below Texas’ (7.2 percent) and the national (6.2 percent) rates.
Click to review the full release and additional March 2021 labor market data for each county.
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