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Workforce Update - September 2024

E-Newsletter Sponsor:

2024 TAWB Civil Rights Training Workshop

2024 TAWB Civil Rights Training Workshop


October 21-23, 2024

North Central Texas Council of Governments

CenterPoint Two Building

616 Six Flags Drive | Arlington, TX 76011


This training is tailored for American Job Center operators, workforce development officials, and AJC partners!


The TAWB 2024 Civil Rights Training Workshop conducted by Seena Foster, Principal of Title VI Consulting from be Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 9 am to 5 pm, and Wednesday, October 23 from 9 am to Noon. Topics related to WIOA Section 188 compliance will be covered, including:

  • 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


Registration

TAWB Members: $300

Prospective Members: $450

Registration includes all workshop materials and lunch on October 22 . No refunds after October 11, 2024.

Pre-Workshop Training Session: TWC’s Equal Opportunity Compliance Department (EOCD) will facilitate a training on October 21 from 2-5 pm at the North Central Texas Council of Governments; CenterPoint Two Building; 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, TX 76011. Topics may include the 2024 Nondiscrimination Plan and its elements, Workforce Development (WD) Letters, and other EO topics. EOCD is promoting community and has encouraged some board EO Officers to present tips on training EO officers/liaisons/complaint takers, handling a Civil Rights Center (CRC) investigation, EO guidance to ETP’s, etc. Opportunity for discussion will occur and questions are welcomed! There is no charge for this pre-conference training session.

REGISTER NOW

TWC Joint Budget Hearing

As reported in the Texas Workforce Commission August 27, 2024 Austin Board Update, the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the Office of the Governor (OOG), House Appropriations committee staff, and Senate Finance committee staff, conducted a hearing September 23 on TWC's Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR).


TWC Executive Director Ed Serna and Chris Nelson provided general information regarding the agency and the agency’s LAR for FY 2026 – 2027. Mr. Serna also provide an overview of the programs TWC administers focusing on Unemployment Insurance (UI), and the agency’s efforts to combat UI fraud, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and the Child Care Program. Following agency testimony, the LBB/OOG took public comments on TWC funding. READ MORE.

Texas Legislatures

A public hearing September 24 of the Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education included discussion of the the implementation of the new community college funding model as recommended by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance and whether the rulemaking process is being successfully completed to focus on student outcomes and enhancing the role of public junior colleges in workforce training and 

preparation.


Individuals providing testimony included Brenda Kays, Board Chair of the Texas Association of Community Colleges; Sarah Keyton, Interim Commissioner for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Justin Lonon, Chancellor for Dallas College; and

Justin Yancy, President of the Texas Business Leadership Council. WATCH THE HEARING.


Upcoming Committee Hearings

House Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies, Select Committee; Tuesday, October 1, 2024; 10:00 AM  

 

Determining the impact of the application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies on various sectors of society, including transportation, healthcare, licensed industries, and unlicensed industries. Formulating recommendations for legislative, policy, regulatory, and remedial actions needed to address the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.  


Latest News

Texas Job Growth Surges with 78,000 Jobs Added in August

Texas’ annual nonfarm growth rate currently sits at 2.2 percent, outpacing the U.S. growth rate by 0.7 percentage points.


Weekly applications for US jobless benefits fall to the lowest level in 4 months

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in four months last week


Texans Old and New

The larger proportion of young people will help Texas meet future workforce needs, and, assuming they are well-educated, provide a decided competitive advantage.


TWC Awards $350,000 Grant to My Possibilities for Workforce Training

My Possibilities will use the TTC grant in partnership with Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas and other local partners to support the Employment Innovations School (EIS), which provides hands-on training to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, so they can develop practical work skills.


TWC Awards Over $83 Million in Grants for Expansion of Adult Education and Literacy Programs

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, these grants will continue educational opportunities for 70,000 adult learners served by TWC’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) programs.


Skills Based Hiring: Why states & employers must act now to build a stronger more diverse workforce

When state governments and employers implement a full suite of policies that remove barriers and promote inclusion in credentialing, hiring, and career advancement, there's opportunity for skills-based hiring to build a diverse talent pipeline and meet industry demand.


Generative A.I. Can Transform Workforce Development: The Future of Corporate Training

By replacing human intelligence with chatbots in training initiatives that rely on real-time data analysis and feedback, companies can more objectively and efficiently measure performance.


White House launches cybersecurity hiring sprint to help fill 500,000 job openings

National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. unveiled the program as part of an effort to fill a continued gap in cyber, technology and AI positions.


Texas schools are hiring more teachers without traditional training. They hope the state will pay to prepare them.

Schools are hiring instructors with different types of backgrounds to deal with critical staff shortages.


TWC Youth Robotics Grants Encourage High School Students to Pursue Careers in STEM

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded $1.4 million in grants for Youth Robotics programs that will enable more than 8,200 Texas high school students to participate in Youth Robotics competitions.

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.


Brianna Boyd is no stranger to workforce marketing. As a seasoned journalist in her former life, she has taken on the role of marketing specialist for the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Solano County and its hosted Small Business Development Center for the past four years. Brianna recently completed the Brand Amplifier for Workforce & Education online course. FCM caught up with her to discover how she is applying what she learned to build a better workforce brand, recruit underserved job seekers, and engage employers.


Best Practices/Success Stories

TAWB is always on the lookout for information about innovative programs that can be

shared and duplicated by other local workforce boards through the TAWB website.

Descriptions may be submitted in narrative form, such as articles and news releases, or

through the TAWB Best Practices Form that can be used to provide basic information

about your program. Recent features include:


Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas Launches New Website to Enhance User Experience and Access to Services

Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, www.wfsdallas.com, aimed at enhancing access to customized 

workforce development services for job seekers, employers, and the community at large. The updated website features an intuitive design, comprehensive resources, and innovative tools that empower individuals to achieve their career goals and assist employers in building a skilled and ready workforce.


Workforce Development Resources

NSC Launches WIOA Advisory Council to Inform America’s Most Important Workforce Program

The council will be composed by more than 20 members from 13 different states and two tribal nations, representing state and local WIOA programs, workforce development boards, community-based organizations, business chambers, and other local business organizations.


Missed Opportunities: Credential Shortages in Programs Aligned with High-Paying Middle-skills Jobs in 55 US Metro Areas

Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce report examines the production of middle-skills credentials that prepare workers for high-paying occupations nationwide and in metro areas with populations exceeding 1 million. It compares current credential production with the projected number of job openings for workers holding these credentials through 2032.


Public Perspective Series: A National Skills Coalition Series on Jobs, Skills Training, and the Economy

NSC's new public opinion series, conducted by Impact Research, analyzes American public perspectives of jobs, skills training, and the economy across a range of the most pressing issues facing the nation.


ACT WorkKeys Skills-Based Career Navigation Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to empower educators, workforce professionals, and organizations to help individuals understand their skills, explore career options, and plan a successful career path using their WorkKeys Assessments results.


Supporting Youth Economic Mobility through Employment-Focused Strategies

WorkRise’s new landscape research report on youth economic mobility reviews the evidence of programs and practices that help young workers succeed and advance in the labor market. The report is accompanied by a summary of the findings, which also explores where further research could inform more effective programs, approaches, and policies to improve employment prospects for young people now, over the next several years, and in the coming decades.


Staffing Outside the Box: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages 

ACTE has released a new resource, Staffing Outside the Box: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages. This publication, sponsored by eDynamic Learning, explores considerations and provide examples for addressing CTE teacher shortages in the short and medium term through such methods as bringing industry experts into the classroom, sharing faculty across subject areas and institutions, and providing virtual learning opportunities.


September 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.

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