Workforce Update - February 2024

Stronger Workforce for America Act

TAWB continued its efforts this past month to engage its members and others in communicating concerns on "H.R. 6655, the “Stronger Workforce for America Act,” – the bipartisan WIOA Reauthorization proposal. 

A letter from TAWB Chair Adrienne Cozart to the leadership of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce outlined those concerns and offered suggestions on several provisions of the bill, including:

• 50% Training Requirement; 
• Increased Governor's Set-aside for "Critical Industries Funds”; and
• Redesignation of Local Workforce Development Areas

A TAWB Action Alert also was sent out to Workforce Development Boards (WDB's) and others in the Texas workforce ecosystem. Additionally, TAWB developed a Congressional Letter Template that WDB's can use to craft their own messages to members of Congress.

Moving forward, TAWB is reaching out to all WDB's in Texas in order to compile information to forward to policy makers. 

1. What is your Board’s total annual WIOA funding amount?

2. What percentage of your total annual WIOA funding that would be subject to the 50% training requirement is currently spent on training?

3. How would your programming change under the proposed 50% training requirement and any negative impacts – include estimated amounts and numbers?

• Closing/combining Workforce Solutions offices;
• Reductions in Employer Services activities;
• Reductions in People Served;
• Reductions in Employers Served:
• Reductions in Support Services (including a list of those services); and
• Other reductions in services or operations not included above.

4. Any comments with regard to the other provisions – increased Governor’s Set-Aside and Redesignation of Local Workforce development Areas.

Please forward the information to Greg Vaughn.

Related Resources

Stronger Workforce Bill Summary

Stronger Workforce Bill Fact Sheet

WIOA Training Services Definition

Stronger Workforce Bill Text

Stronger Workforce Bill Section-by-Section

TAWB Announces New Affiliate Program to Benefit its Members

TAWB is excited to announce an affiliate partnership with Full Capacity Marketing (FCM), a national agency specializing in the workforce, education, and entrepreneurship sectors, and its online ten-module comprehensive course called The Brand Amplifier for Workforce & Education Professionals.  

FCM is a long-standing leader in workforce and education with a proven track record for elevating brands in multiple markets and teaching customers how to get the right messages to the right customer segments through the right mediums and achieve key performance indicators that consistently outperform industry benchmarks. 

Other affiliates have said about the course, “This is a game changer for our members that want to learn clear actionable steps to enhance how their brands are positioned within their unique markets. Additionally, many of our members are funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and need to understand the most effective way to adhere to the new Department of Labor Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 03-23 which has opened the door to utilize funding for marketing and advertising - but with caveats.”

As part of the new affiliate partnership, TAWB will host a free webinar for its members facilitated by FCM executives to get an overview of FCM’s framework, which has earned more than 75 global awards in the past 22 years. 

Stay tuned for more information as we roll out this exciting initiative.

Report Finds a “Crisis” of Nonprofit Workforce Shortages

Job vacancies are reported by almost three out of four nonprofits, with public-facing roles the most difficult to fill, according to a report by the National Council of Nonprofits. 

Child care benefits at work: Employers are increasingly offering resources to parents with daycare needs

Employers are increasingly providing child care benefits to support working parents, acknowledging the challenges of finding affordable and accessible care.

Texas passes on $450 million summer lunch program for low-income families

The USDA estimates the families of 3.8 million children could have received $120 per child to cover summer lunches if the state participated in the new $2.5 billion program launching this summer. Texas is one of 15 states opting out.

Are Companies Actually Hiring Workers without Degrees?

Companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Apple are increasingly removing degree requirements from job postings, emphasizing skills-based hiring.

TWC Celebrates Career and Technical Education Month

In celebration of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recognizes the value of CTE programs and the achievements of students who pursue high-skill technical careers in more than 750 unique occupations across the state.

Texas children are still struggling with math after the pandemic. Some schools are trying a new approach.

Policy experts worry students will fall short of the state's future workforce needs. Educators hope the new curriculum will help them.

Texas poised for slower job growth this year, Dallas Fed projects

Falling consumer activity and uncertainty around the 2024 presidential election could complicate the state’s job growth, a Dallas Fed economist said.

Many Texas community college students who transfer don’t finish their degrees, study says

Black students and students over 24 are less likely to get their bachelor’s degree after transferring, the report found.

TWC Invites Employers to Apply for Texas Apprenticeship Program

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is awarding nearly $10 million through the new Texas Industry Recognized Apprenticeship (TIRA) grant program to eligible private-sector Texas employers.

TWC Announces 2024 Texas Conference for Employers Schedule

Events provide employment information and resources to Texas employers.

TWC Awards $150,000 Training Grant to Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent and Local Partners

Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent will use the grant in partnership with Victoria Sales Tax Development Corporation and an area consortium group to train 407 individuals for high-demand occupations. 

TWC Recognizes Workforce Solutions for South Texas for Child Care Employment Connections

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has awarded $50,000 to Workforce Solutions for South Texas through a Child Care Employment Connections Award. This performance-based award recognizes local workforce development boards (Boards) for their work in connecting at-risk parents with sufficient employment.

Community Champions: Economic Developers' Role in Alleviating Childcare Shortages

"Community Champions: Economic Developers' Role in Alleviating Childcare Shortages" is an urgent call to action and a comprehensive guide in the midst of a growing childcare crisis that impacts families, economies, and communities across the United States. This crucial resource delves deeply into childcare challenges and offers innovative, practical solutions.

State Policies Impacting CTE: 2023 Year in Review 

ACTE and Advance CTE have released the 11th annual State Policies Impacting CTE: Year in Review report, marking the start of a second decade of insights into CTE policy trends at the state and national levels.

How to Keep Employees Productive: Support Caregivers

Three-quarters of US employees are balancing caregiving with their careers. If companies could prevent five of them from quitting, they could save $200,000. Joseph Fuller offers a seven-point plan for supporting the sandwich generation and beyond.

Small Towns, Big Opportunities: Many Workers in Rural Areas Have Good Jobs, but These Areas Need Greater Investment in Education, Training, and Career Counseling

This report counters to some degree the popular narrative that rural America has been “left behind.” The report finds that the rural workforce makes up 13 percent of the total 25-to-64-year-old working population in the US and holds 12 percent, or a roughly proportionate share, of the country’s good jobs. It also provides recommendations to mitigate the region’s high labor-force non-participation rate (26 percent), low bachelor’s degree attainment rate (25 percent), and overall population decline.

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.

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.