City Officials Provide a Ready to Work Update to Greater San Antonio Chamber
The Greater San Antonio Chamber recently hosted a moderated discussion highlighting the city’s Ready to Work workforce development program and its role in helping employers build a stronger, more skilled talent pipeline while expanding economic opportunity across the region. “Ready to Work is important as it provides a level of support to individuals going through the workforce development pipeline who may need a little bit of assistance to get to the finish line,” said City Manager Erik Walsh. “This is by far, the largest economic development investment that a city is making in itself in the country right now. “There are 1,650 institutions, including the City of San Antonio, that have hired employ- ees out of the Ready to Work program. The individuals who have completed the program have started into a great career and have realized massive increases in income,” he said.
According to Ready to Work, there have been more than 3,600 job placements with local organizations providing an hourly wage of at least $15 an hour and access to benefits. The average salary of participants who have completed the program is $45,000 annually, which is $33,000, or 300 percent, more than their salary prior to the program.
Residents Voted to Invest in Workforce
Approved by voters in 2021, Ready to Work is funded through a dedicated sales tax and provides eligible residents with tuition-free access to job training, certificate programs, college coursework, apprenticeships, and paid work experience. The program is designed to align workforce training directly with employer needs, particularly in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, in- formation technology, advanced manufacturing, construction, and skilled trades.
Through partnerships with local colleges, training providers, and employers, Ready to Work helps close skills gaps by preparing job-ready candidates for in-demand roles. Participants also receive wraparound support services—including childcare assistance, transportation, and career coaching— improving completion rates and helping employers connect with a more reliable workforce.
Voters approved Ready to Work as a strategic investment in San Antonio’s long-term economic competitiveness. By increasing access to education and skills training, the program sup- ports talent attraction and retention, strengthens the local labor market, and helps ensure employers can grow and compete in a rapidly evolving economy.
Strengthening the Economy
Beyond individual success stories, Ready to Work is playing a broader role in strengthening San Antonio’s economic competitiveness. “We are investing in our own workforce,” said Walsh. “And workforce is the single largest part of economic development. What we hear from employers, big and small, it’s a race to hire good, qualified job candidates who will be great employees.”
The Greater San Antonio Chamber has encouraged local employers to collaborate with Ready to Work. “Having a strong workforce is a key factor in retaining and recruiting businesses to San Antonio,” said Jeff Webster, President & CEO of the Greater Chamber. “By building a resilient, inclusive talent pipeline, we’re building local businesses and our overall economy.
Accenture is a great case study, as it’s helped them achieve their local hiring goals. “Seven years ago, Accenture was trying to determine how to hire employees from underserved communities and use apprenticeship programs,” said Ben Peavy, Client Account Leader with Accenture and the Ready to Work Chairman. “
It took us a year to determine how to work through the different channels to leverage local programs and hire these job candidates. Because of Ready to Work, it’s a lot easier now. We have tight relationships with Alamo Community Colleges, Hallmark University, Goodwill and Project Quest. All these organizations that are great individually are even stronger together.
According to the Ready to Work website, the top occupations that are hired from the program include tractor-trailer truck drivers and heavy equipment operators, medical assistants, customer service representatives, nursing assistants, and registered nurses. But the program has training programs for a wide range of occupations, ranging from computer support specialists and logisticians to electricians and other skilled trades. “This program is for all businesses in San Antonio,” said Peavy. “The more interaction we have with businesses and understand the skills you need, it’s only going to make the program stronger and your businesses stronger.”
Evolving to Meet Employers’ Needs
Ready to Work is constantly evolving based on employer needs according to Mike Ramsey, the city’s Executive Director of Workforce Development. “We’re constantly convening employers to ensure our programs are aligned with what employers are looking for. The training programs have to constantly adjust to keep up with the speed of business. It’s a continual process of getting feedback from employers and adapting and adjusting the program to meet those needs.”
Ramsey gave the example of the partnership they’ve forged with JCB, which is building a manufacturing facility on the city’s South Side. He explained that the city started working with JCB soon after they announced their $500 million investment in San Antonio. The Ready to Work team, along with their partners such as the community colleges and nonprofit partners in the work- force readiness sector, meet regularly with JCB to help ensure a strong pipeline of qualified candidates to support the company’s workforce needs as the facility comes online.
As part of Ready to Work, the city has made apprenticeships a key strategy for connecting residents to long-term, high-quality careers. Through federal support, the program is expanding access to registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship pathways that combine paid, on-the-job training with classroom instruction. These efforts are designed to help participants earn industry-recognized credentials while meeting local employer demand, particularly in high growth sectors.
“Apprenticeships are extremely important because as employers, you can grow and shape your own talent,” said Ramsey. “As you lay out those apprenticeship tracks, we can help you design that apprenticeship track specifically for your business. It’s the most direct and most aligned pathway of workforce development.”
Employers and individuals interested in participating in Ready to Work can learn more at sanantonio.gov/work- force and click on the QR code in the graphic.
