A Message from the CEO
With the second quarter of 2021 wrapped up, we move onward towards recovering from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and restoring our local economy. In the last three months, Workforce Solutions (WFS) has shared a variety of resource newsletters for job seekers and employers alike, and will continue to connect our community with services that can help improve their quality of life.
One such example was our Jobs Now newsletter, which provided a series of resources related to employment, free online skills development trainings, and industry specific certifications. For your convenience, we have included hyperlinks to those resources towards the bottom of this newsletter.
We encourage you to read on for important developments regarding Texas opting out of federal unemployment compensation, updates to the child care subsidy program, and more.
Interested in viewing available jobs in the Rio Grande Valley? Visit Workforce Solutions online to browse employment opportunities!
Best Regards,
Francisco Almaraz
CEO, Workforce Solutions
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Spring Youth Conference Hosted in May, 2021
WFS hosted the 2021 Spring Youth Career Conference on May 18th and May 19th from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Each day gave participants the option to choose between three different tracks to join: Career Exploration, Soft Skills, and Parental Engagement.
In total, 2,733 individuals participated throughout the two-day conference. Employers representing our region's largest, fastest-growing industries (such as Education, Law Enforcement, and Health Care) recorded interviews to be presented during the sessions. Attendees joining the Career Exploration track had the opportunity to view these videos, and in some instances, were able to engage with employers to ask questions. For the Soft Skills track, viewers got to learn which soft skills are in-demand and learn new ways to strengthen these skills.
Presentations by Workforce Outreach Specialists and by WFS Center staff focused on Interview Skills, Résumé Writing, and Financial Literacy. Understanding the importance of parental involvement, the conference also included a track dedicated to Parental Engagement. Parents were encouraged to join presentations on available Adult Education Resources, Transition Resources for Individuals with Disabilities, and Financial Aid application assistance. For Spanish-speaking parents, this track was translated to Spanish in real-time using professional interpreter services.
Of the 2,733 individuals, 318 were parents or educators. A total of 12 school districts attended with 671 additional individuals viewing the conference via WFS social media outlets including Facebook Live or YouTube.
COVID-19 SDF Initiatives
The Skills Development Fund (SDF) COVID-19 Special Initiative is a new program from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
In order to respond quickly to COVID-19 needs and the daily changes to these priorities, TWC awarded WFS funding to assist local business partners with training needs for existing and new workers in vital industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology.
Basic Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased number of cases in the region, and the need for healthcare professionals, WFS partnered with RGV College and ambulance service employers: St. Michaels Ambulance, Life Star Ambulance, and Calvary EMS, to train Basic EMT.
Through the Skills Development Fund COVID-19 Special Initiative totaling $12,000, RGV College was able to train 3 unemployed individuals and 3 Emergency Care Attendants as Emergency Medical Technicians, which will allow for them to obtain the EMT Basic certification and serve to fill the shortage.
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Electrical Worker Training
Electrical contractors have been experiencing a skill shortage and were unable to address the electrical needs of hospitals, educational institutions, and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the fall of 2020, WFS collaborated with Rio Grande Valley Laredo Electrical and applied for the TWC COVID-19 Special Initiative grant. This grant was designed for electrical contractors to upskill employees and/or hire new employees that have been furloughed or laid-off. Three local companies (MWI Inc, Scott Electric Co., and S.T Electric LLC) were approved to upskill their employees. Each trainee qualified for $2,000 in training funds. The estimated total investment was approximately $120,000 for 60 trainees.
A total of 35 employees were trained in National Center for Construction Education and Research Core (NCCER), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA 30). The training included 96 hours of instruction, wherein participants received a Certificate of Completion and respective credentials in Basic Safety (NCCER), Transformers, CPR, and OSHA 30 upon completion.
Subsequently, in the spring of 2021, TWC updated grants to expand eligible individuals (furloughed and unemployed individuals) to access training. As a result, a cohort of 25 unemployed or laid-off journeyman electricians were trained. The trainings provided for this cohort were National Electrical Code (NEC) and NCCER.
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Child Care Payment Assistance Available to Unemployed Parents
The Texas Workforce Commission recently passed a waiver of a rule to allow unemployed individuals to enroll in the child care subsidy program, beginning July 1, 2021. Previously, only individuals who were already employed, or participating in education/training, could be enrolled into the child care subsidy program.
Lack of child care is frequently cited by individuals on unemployment as a major impediment to getting a job. This change will help accommodate workers who are actively looking for employment, allowing them up to three months to find employment. The program is designed to assist working families, thus it is generally not available to parents who are not employed.
Contact WFS today at 888-261-3286 or schedule an appointment online at www.wfsolutions.org to learn more about child care services, job search assistance, and more.
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2021 Largest Employer Report
The largest employer data is key to helping both WFS and community stakeholders to understand regional industry composition, saturation rates, and areas of opportunity.
The purpose of the 2021 Largest Employer Report is to identify the principal employers within the WFS service region, to help guide efforts as it relates to education and economic development. The data within the report was obtained through WFS business intelligence, Economic Modeling Systems International (EMSI), Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS).
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Workforce Solutions 2020 Annual Impact Report
The Workforce Solutions Annual Impact Report is an overview of the impact we've made within our community throughout Fiscal Year 2020. This report, released April 2021, goes in-depth to highlight our special programs and initiatives while also explaining our services, funding sources, and much more!
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Upcoming Event
Quick Response Force: Removing Barriers
Join us for the third Quick Reaction Force: Removing Barriers Event! The Goal of the Webinar is to remove barriers and aid veterans and eligible spouses to access resources for rental assistance, education and training, childcare, and job search assistance.
(Click image to view video)
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