The evolving Worforce Development System
To meet these widely varied needs more effectively, steps have been
underway for a number of years to improve coordination among workforce
agencies, programs and services. This process began in earnest in 1995
when the state government passed into law House Bill (HB) 1863 (Texas Legislature
Online), significantly changing the workforce and welfare systems. The
guiding principles for the reformed workforce system are greater involvement
and responsiveness to employers and easier access for workers.
HB 1863 led to a workforce development system that includes the following
elements:
- A State Human Resource Investment Council [Texas
Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness (TECWEC)],
- A consolidated state workforce agency [Texas
Workforce Commission (TWC)],
- Local workforce boards,
- A network of Texas Workforce Centers,
- State funding for skill development of the incumbent workers,
- A mechanism for School to Career partnerships, and
- Integration of subsidized child care services for working families.
Note: "Full service center" refers to one-stop
employment service locations that offer an array of services such as, but
not limited to, job search, referrals, self-help resource rooms, resume
writing, case management, and access to the public child care system. Source:
CAWDB, 1999.
In Austin/Travis County, the Capital
Area Workforce Development Board (CAWDB) serves as part of this voluntary
statewide system of local control. The majority of Board members are employers,
but it also includes representatives from educational agencies, organized
labor, community-based organizations, child care, and economic development
entities. The Board has local flexibility and decision-making authority
over a broad array of employment and training resources.
Since it became operational in 1997, the CAWDB has been responsible for:
Development of three Workforce Centers, with a fourth scheduled to
open in fall 1999
Oversight of:
- Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) services,
- the Choices program (for Temporary Assistance for Needy Texas
Families [TANF]) recipients,
- the Food Stamp Employment & Training (FSE&T) program
and
- Child Care services.
Coordination of planning for employment services in the area
Parallel to these changes in the workforce system, substantial changes
in the welfare system have been made. At the heart of the reformed welfare
system is the belief that jobs will help families leave poverty. Under
Achieving Change for Texans (ACT) the following changes were legislated:
- Time limits for receipt of cash assistance were set ranging from 12
to 36 months over one's lifetime;
- Finding and maintaining employment became an immediate priority for
low-income families applying for or receiving TANF aid; non-exempt clients
must work or participate in welfare-to-work activities that can help them
find a job; and
- Joint administration of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Texas Workforce
Commission (TWC) was established (Bost, 1998).
Subsequent changes have further strengthened "work first"
as a condition of public assistance.
Workforce Investment Act. In July 1999, Texas will become an
early implementation state for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998.
The WIA provides the framework for a national workforce preparation and
employment system designed to meet both the needs of the nation's businesses
and the needs of job seekers and those who want to further their careers.
Earlier changes required by HB 1863 have given Texas a head start toward
compliance with WIA directives.
State workforce investment boards will be established and will develop
state five-year strategic plans. Governors will designate local "workforce
investment areas" and oversee local workforce investment boards. New
youth councils will be established as a subgroup of each local board to
guide the development and operation of programs for youth. The Capital
Area Workforce Development Board will serve as the Local Workforce Investment
Board and oversee the formation of the new youth council.
Customers will benefit from a "One-Stop" delivery system,
with career centers in their neighborhoods where they can access core employment
services and be referred directly to job training, education, or other
services (U.S. Dept. of Labor/ETA, 1998). Three such one-stop centers are
open in Travis County, with a fourth set to open in Fall, 1999. The local
Welfare-to-Work Coalition has incorporated "one-stop" centers
into its strategic plan, which is currently being implemented within the
community (Welfare-to-Work, 1999).
Both the City of Austin and Travis County participate in the WIA-directed
system through appointments to the Board, coordination of planning, funding
of programs, and some direct programs.
School-to-Career: School-to-Career programming is a significant
part of the workforce system. It is estimated that approximately 5000 students
in the Austin area drop out every year, illustrating the need to intervene
early with this segment of the emerging workforce before their full potential
is diminished or lost. One of the most successful means to promote school
retention and success is by clearly connecting school to future career
opportunities for all students. Our community has a burgeoning school-to-career
system fostered jointly by both the CAWDB, City of Austin, Travis County,
local school districts, institutions of higher education, the Greater Austin
Chamber of Commerce, and numerous non-profit and community groups. Together,
these entities are working to implement the following core strategies:
career awareness in all grades (K-12),
individual academic and career plans
starting in 7th grade, career pathways
for high school and college students, and work
based learning opportunities starting in 8th grade, leading
to entry into the workforce.
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