Finalizing a seven-month effort launched by Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, led by the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, hosted a two-day summit with more than 600 leaders from across the state. This workforce initiative was created by Governor Abbott to focus on:
- Researching how to make college more affordable and helping students enter the workforce more quickly with marketable skills, through targeted and collaborative public and higher education initiatives.
- Identifying local workforce needs and developing workforce development models that address these needs, with a particular eye toward career and technical education and science, technology, engineering and math.
- Evaluating current web-based ways to connect students and parents with information about in-demand jobs and career paths.
- Identifying gaps in services for veterans, so that they may more seamlessly re-enter the workforce.
- Ensuring all strategies advance job creation, workforce development and the 60×30 plan, a higher education initiative Abbott announced in November that aims to ensure 60 percent of the state’s workers between the ages of 25 and 34 achieve a postsecondary education by the year 2030.
During the last seven months the commissioners held regional meetings in the following communities: Midland, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, McAllen, Tyler and Austin. Leaders from industry, education, and community-based organizations attended these regional meetings and provided extensive feedback on workforce strategies that can serve as best practice models for the state.
As a result of this feedback and the regional meetings, the Tri-Agencies put together a draft report with key recommendations and initiatives that they would propose that state and regional leaders support and implement. These recommendations include:
- Identifying statewide initiatives for the next generation that will make Texas the clear leader in targeted fields and position the state for future economic pre-eminence.
- Strengthening Pre K through High School academic instruction to establish students’ foundational skills in math, science, language arts, and social studies so that students graduate career and college ready and are prepared for a lifetime of learning.
- Building a proactive, ongoing partnership among the TEA, THECB, TWC and other stakeholders to align educational goals of Texas with the state’s higher education plan of 60x30 which aims for 60 percent of 25-34 olds to hold either a certificate or degree by 2030. This is with the goal of growing the state’s workforce, industry and economy.
- Identifying services for Texas veterans, advancing strategies to enhance their education and employment opportunities, and developing solutions to ensure a seamless and accelerated transition back into the Texas workforce.
During the two-day conference, the commissioners highlighted several initiatives from across the state that support these key recommendations including several in San Antonio.
“For Texas to be the undisputed center for innovation and intellectual capital in this decade and beyond, we need to accelerate learning to the speed of business and technology,” said Governor Abbott. “In order to remain competitive and ensure Texans are creating and filling the jobs of tomorrow, we need to do more. Understanding the changing needs of job creators today is paramount in continuing to expand opportunity in Texas.”
For more information on the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, visit:
www.tea.texas.gov;
www.thecb.state.tx.us, or
www.twc.state.tx.us
For more information on the Tri-Agency Summit, visit this
website. 