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| Greetings! |
Happy New Year! We are excited to keep the momentum from a rewarding 2015 and use that to build a brighter 2016! This year marks our 20th year in Workforce. We have hit the ground running and have some updates to share with you on our progress in this month's briefing.
Speaking of progress, please see the Community Collaboration-Partner Portal article on the progress of the Tarrant County Alliance for Economic Independence. Our December awards meeting featured our Workforce Governing Board members sharing stories of their first jobs and how those experiences contributed to their success. To acknowledge the need for first job opportunities, we are launching a new Young Adult Internship campaign. We ask that you consider offering Tarrant County's young adults an opportunity for their very own first job experience. Will you open your door for our future talent? Maybe there is a future Mayor or County Judge in this year's talent pool.
We will also introduce a new Workforce Development Board Member, new staff and all at our BRAND NEW BOARD MEETING LOCATION.
Don't forget our February 10, 2016 meeting is at Lena Pope's new Amon Carter Center. See you tomorrow!
Happy Valentine's Day!
- Judy McDonald
Executive Director
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New Board Meeting Location
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We are happy to announce that our Board Meetings will now be held at Lena Pope. Board Members and Partners, we hope you will join us at the beautiful Amon Carter Center at Lena Pope, located at 3200 Sanguinet Street Fort Worth, TX 76107.
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Annual Awards Meeting
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Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County held its Annual Workforce Governing and Workforce Development Board Awards Meeting on December 9, 2015 at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Elected Officials shared the latest information impacting the county with the members of the Workforce Development Board (WDB) and the audience. Both Board and audience members provided feedback proclaiming this meeting to be their favorite. You can find all the comments in this month's packet on page 5.
We were also excited to have the 3-4 year old Pre-K class from the downtown YWCA, Center for Transforming Lives back to sing and entertain us. This is the fifth year they have been our opening act and, as always, they did not disappoint.
Before recognizing our partners and the work they did this year we started the program with a few special check presentations:
- Workforce Solutions was recognized for outstanding board performance, receiving a Performance Incentive Award for Choices Employment at the recent Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Conference. TWC Performance Incentive Awards recognize boards that display increased accountability and improved performance efficiencies. Monetary awards for achievement in these categories will be used to enhance workforce service programs during the next year.
- Workforce Solutions was awarded two additional checks at the TWC Conference this year: We won the 2015 Industry Sector Outreach Award for our work with the Mansfield Manufacturing Project, as well as the 2015 Service to Community Award for our work with the FACT (Fathers and Children Together) Grant.
- All three accomplishments each resulted in a check for $30,000 to be presented to Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.
Our awards meeting is a venue to thank some of the individuals, partners and organizations who have helped make 2015 a year that ROCKED! From meeting our Performance Measures to having one of the biggest Veteran Focused Jobs Fairs in the state, Workforce Solutions would like to thank everyone who helped make this year a success! The list of awards and winners included:
- Industry Sector Outreach Award:The Mansfield Manufacturing Project
- Service to Community Award:Fatherhood Coalition and the FACT Grant partners
- Employer Award of Excellence: SIMOS Insourcing Solutions
- UnSung Hero (Federal) Award: Nick Lalpuis, Department of Labor
- UnSung Hero (State) Award: Debbie Carlson, Texas Workforce Commission
- UnSung Hero (Local) Award: Kathryn Thompson, Tarrant Literacy Coalition
- UnSung Hero (Local) Award: Fred Schmidt, Tarrant County College District
- Child Care Partner Award:Educational Alignment for Young Children (EAYC) project
- Community Partner Award:The Arlington Rotary and the Arlington Sunset Rotary
- Employer Partner Award: Hillwood Properties
- Education Partner Award:University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Our Workforce Governing Board: Mayor Jeff Williams, Mayor Betsy Price and Judge Glen Whitley along with Workforce Development Board Chair Keith Muskrat and Vice Chair Estrus Tucker - joined the kids from the YWCA, Center for Transforming Lives for a quick picture. As always they are one of the highlight of the meeting.
More photos of our award's meeting can be found in the Picture section of the newsletter.
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"From Where They Stood"
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At the December board meeting, the Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County's Workforce Governing Board (WGB) members revealed the experiences which initiated their own entries into the workforce.
Judge Glen Whitley
Judge Whitley described how he worked as an "ice cream picker" at Carnation Ice Cream in Grand Prairie for 50 cents an hour. Despite what appeared to be a minor entry level position, Judge Whitely took advantage of the opportunity to learn all that he could about what it means to run a business and manage finances. Within one year, he was able to take on higher levels of responsibility and before long, he was running the place. From ice-cream picker to the Judge of Tarrant County, that is where Judge Whitley stood.
Mayor Betsy Price
Mayor Price's first job entailed taking the Greyhound bus all the way to Dallas to retrieve cars and drive them back to her parent's car dealership for a compensation of five dollars per car. Mayor Price learned the importance of a strong work ethic, a skill she would value and utilize well into her professional career. Mayor Price also had the opportunity to work with a Head Start program during the summer months. This experience would ignite her passion for children and education, which she would later go on to advocate for from a nationally recognized platform. From driving cars to the dealership to Mayor of Fort Worth, that is where Mayor Price stood.
Mayor Jeff Williams
Mayor Williams' first work experience was working on a construction crew throughout high school and college. He recalled one experience in which he believed his work was done for the day, so he decided to take a break. His grandfather noticed he was sitting idle and gave him a task he would later discover was just "busy" work. From this experience, Mayor Williams learned that there is always work to be done. He also learned the importance of staying engaged in his work, and he applied these lessons towards an eventual career in engineering. From construction worker to engineer and Mayor of Arlington, that is where Mayor Williams stood.
New Campaign; From Where I Stand It is easy to forget how early work experiences influence and shape current achievements. However, these experiences are vital. As was noted by Executive Director Judy McDonald at the December board meeting, all of the first jobs described by the governing board members were provided or recommended by family or friends. Oftentimes, the only way a young adult can break into the workforce is through a personal connection to a specific employer. However, many young adults lack those connections, leaving the door of opportunity shut. In an effort to acknowledge the necessity of a first job experience and how it might lead to a successful future, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is launching a new campaign entitled, "From Where I Stand." The campaign will promote the importance of opening doors for young adults by providing them with first job experiences through relevant and rewarding career exploration activities and internships. It will advocate that regardless of where you stand or what obstacles you face, everyone deserves the opportunity to look back on their first job and consider how it contributed to who they became. Too many young adults are not being given these opportunities, and without them, where do they stand? We are inviting you to partner with Workforce Solutions on this initiative. If you are, or know of, an employer willing to open a door for a young adult, we are looking for businesses who can provide one or more of the following: - Internship opportunities (wages paid by Workforce Solutions)
- On-the-job training opportunities (partial wage reimbursement to defray the cost of training)
- Tours (allowing a group of young adults to tour the facility and providing a brief orientation to your industry/business)
If interested, please contact our Business Solutions Manager, Janie Sanchez at (817) 528-9020
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U.S. Conference of Mayors & WDC Board Meeting
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The U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council (WDC) Board and Winter Meeting was held January 20-21, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Mayor Betsy Price and Mayor Jeff Williams attended the Conference.
Mayor Price participated in a the Special Session on National Career and Technical Education Panel and discussed the work of the City, Fort Worth ISD, Workforce Solutions and The Fort Worth Chamber to promote career and technical education.
Panel Moderator:
- CHRISTOPHER L. CABALDON Mayor of West Sacramento Chair, USCM Jobs, Education and the Workforce Standing Committee
Panel Participants:
- THE HONORABLE STEVE BESHEAR Former Governor State of Kentucky
- BETSY PRICE Mayor of Fort Worth
- MARTY WALSH Mayor of Boston
- CHAUNCY LENNON Managing Director, Global Philanthropy JP Morgan Chase
Mayor Williams said he enjoyed his first Conference of Mayors and commented on how many sessions included the importance of Workforce and Talent Development.
The group also heard First Lady Michelle Obama as she discussed the challenge to End Veteran Homelessness
Workforce Development Council (WDC)
The WDC which is made up of Executive Directors representing 100 cities also met during the conference.
The WDC met to share best practices and workforce updates. They also met with Mayors at their Jobs, Education & Workforce standing committee.
At this council meeting the 2016 Officers were elected:
- President - Andrew McGough, Executive Director, Worksystems, Inc., Portland
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First Vice President - Paul Haynes, Executive Director, Nashville Career Advancement
Center, Nashville
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Second Vice President - Mark Edwards, President and CEO, Philadelphia Works, Inc., Philadelphia
- Elected to the WDC Board from Texas were:
- Martin Aguirre, CEO, Workforce Solutions of the South Plains, Lubbock
- Judy McDonald, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Fort Worth
- Kenneth Trevino, President and CEO, Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, Corpus Christi
The Communication Directors also met prior to the council meeting to continue their work that began in Dallas in January 2015. Lacey Douglas attended the meeting in Dallas and continues to be a part of the communications network.
The groups focus was to discuss next steps in, and improvements to, the ongoing PR campaign to raise the profile of WIBs and the local workforce system in the media/social media and with lawmakers/policymakers.
The group worked on a theme/event to focus on for each quarter of the program year. Strategies and updates will be shared with the WDC Membership.
- Prepare/Adopt Strategy
- Regional Ecosystems - Develop Messages/Tactics
- Youth - Develop Messages/Tactics
- Industry Sector Strategies - Develop Messages/Tactics
- Target Populations - Develop Messages/Tactics
- Impact Measures - Develop 2-4 Easily Gatherable Indicators of Workforce System Impact
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Someone has a BIG Birthday Coming Up!
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Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County will celebrate its 20TH ANNIVERSARY this year! August 9, 2016 will mark our 20-year anniversary as a Workforce Board! During the month of August be on the lookout for special celebrations and lots of throwback photos!
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New Board Member and Staff Promotions & Introductions
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Mr. Edward Spears:
This month we welcome a new Board member to our Workforce Development Board (WDB). He was appointed by our Workforce Governing Board on December 9, 2015. This appointment was also certified by the Commission on January 5, 2016.
Edward Spears is replacing Dr. Lisa London on the Board as an Adult Basic and Continuing Education Representative. Mr. Spears is the Director of the Fort Worth ISD Office of Adult Education. He was nominated by the Fort Worth Independent School District and his term will be up for reappointment in July of 2017. Attached you will find his bio.
Mrs. Rikki McDonald:
Rikki accepted the position of Executive Liaison Coordinator and began her new role on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. Her job duties involve participating in the strategic planning, progress tracking, and results documentation for all Board departments. She will also assist in producing informational and promotional communications for a variety of formats, including Social Media.
Mrs. McDonald graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas in December. She earned her degree in Development and Family Studies with a concentration in community impact. Her passion for serving families and the community will be a valuable asset to Workforce Solutions.
A few fun facts about Rikki: She enjoys reading, training for half-marathons, photography, painting, and vegan cuisine.
Mr. Nick Almendarez:
Nick has over 7 years of experience in Workforce Development programs working with Lower Rio Grande Valley and Tarrant County. Previously to becoming the Managing Director for Tarrant County Nick held various positions in Workforce including consultant, Center Manager, Deputy Director of Site Management, and Deputy Director of Operations. During his three years' operating the Tarrant contract, Nick has lead the Tarrant team to two consecutive awards for performance in CHOICES as well as meeting all state performance measures for the last three years.
Ms. Shannon Spriggs:
Shannon was the previous Quality Assurance Manager for Tarrant County before recently being named Deputy Director. Shannon relocated to Tarrant County from Workforce Solutions Alamo (San Antonio) where she was a center manager. In addition, she also worked in the Quality Assurance Department at Workforce Solutions Alamo.
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Community Collaboration-Partner Portal Update
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In response to the WIOA mandate that Workforce Boards lead in collaboration within their jurisdiction, the Workforce Delivery Systems (WDS) Committee established a new community alliance, the Tarrant County Alliance for Economic Independence. The purpose of the Alliance is envisioned as a community-wide workforce development system whereby all providers of workforce services in the community collaborate to: 1) reach the high-need target groups and communities; 2) understand and promote career pathways; 3) apply for available funding efficiently and effectively; 4) maximize opportunities to attract additional funding; 5) identify gaps in workforce services; and 6) develop strategies to fill those gaps.
On October 28, 2015, the WDS Committee hosted a Community Summit to introduce this Alliance and an online web-based Partner Portal; and, to seek collaboration with all interested community organizations engaged in workforce development for their customers. There were 113 individuals in attendance at the summit. Attendees were asked to sign up to provide input for the portal through targeted workgroups.
The portal will supply a common, community-wide tool set to encourage online collaboration and provide access to a myriad of workforce related websites in one place. To encourage more organizations to become actively involved, access to the portal will be made available at no cost to the community.
In 2015, under the leadership of the Workforce Improvement Committee, the WSTC Board identified career pathways in demand industries in our regional area. These pathways are available to community partners through the Board's Partner Portal.
Progress & Next Steps
All workgroups have met and provided input and the Partner Portal is ready for testing. Sixty staff from a variety of community organizations have volunteered to "beta test" the portal. They will all be trained and begin using the portal and providing their feedback by the end of April.
The WDS Committee will receive a report of the feedback at their May meeting and a full report will be presented to the full Workforce Board at the June 8, 2016 board meeting.
All other members of the Alliance will be trained and the rollout of the portal will be completed by September 30, 2016. Ongoing training will then be available for all new members of the Alliance.
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Greg Newton
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National Workforce Consultant, Greg Newton will join some of our senior board and center staff over the next couple of months to continue the discussion on our Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement in Service Delivery.
We look forward to presenting our outcomes at a future meeting.
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High School Equivalency Victory in Texas
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On Friday, January 22, 2016 the State Board of Education approved a motion to allow all three high school equivalency tests to be administered in Texas. Kathryn Thompson, Tarrant Literacy Coalition's Executive Director stated, "This is what we have wanted for almost two years". Previously, the state only allowed for students to take the General Education Development Test (GED) administered by Pearson.
Pearson's contract expires in June, at which time the GED, High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), and the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) will all have a contract with Texas to provide High School Equivalency (HSE) testing for Texas residents.
In 2014, Pearson rolled out a computer based GED exam which reduced the number of Texans sitting for the exam by half. This prompted students and literacy providers to advocate for alternate testing options in Texas. The concerns with the Pearson revised GED were:
- Texas only allowed for one high school equivalency test administered by Pearson. More than 20 states allowed for others.
- Cost: $135.00, at least twice the cost of the other two exams offered by other vendors
- Technology: The new exam did away with paper and pencil testing and required test-takers to be computer-literate and proficient in typing. Both the HiSET and the TASC offer a paper and pencil version.
- Complexity: The new test focused on college readiness, rather than skills for the workforce
In addition, the GED testing service recently announced that they are lowering their passing scores in each subject are from 150 to 145. This will provide the state the ability to retroactively award high school equivalency certificates to test takers that previously scored 145 or above.
Kathryn Thompson, of the Tarrant Literacy Coalition was instrumental in leading the Tarrant County efforts for change. Both Kathryn and our Board Member, Joan Grigsby, testified before the state Board of Education last summer. Ms. Grigsby testified on behalf of adult learners with learning differences. Ms. Thompson stated, "This is a banner day for our students and students all across Texas!!"
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Kids Vision Fest
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The fourth annual Kids Vision Fest was held at Tarrant County College's Trinity River Campus on Friday, February 5, 2016. Kids Vision Fest is sponsored by Kids Vision for Life. Kids Vision for Life is comprised of the Tarrant County Coalition, The Alcon Foundation and Essilor Vision Foundation.
These groups came together to host the annual Kids Vision Fest, to help school children see better so that they can learn better in school. These groups made it possible for more than 800 children to have eye exams and get fitted for new glasses. Mayor Betsy Price and Judge Glen Whitley were among the guest speakers at event.
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All Things Technology
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PICTURE GALLERY: This month, we will be launching our new photo gallery on our website. We are excited to share all the great pictures we take at meetings, job fairs and other special events. Watch for the launch soon.
BLOG: Staff are currently working to launch a workforce blog on our website. There is so much information we want to cover month to month and we need an outlet that will lend itself to all that is Workforce related. We will feature additional success stories, more labor information, in-depth information about our programs, highlight our partners, etc....
SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH: Workforce Solutions has so many great ways to connect both job seekers and employers to our services. Check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr. You will find direct links to all of our social media pages at the top of our home page on our website. I encourage all of you to "Like" or "Follow" these pages and suggest them to others!
Workforce Boards and Professionals are using a new hashtag (#) when speaking about the wonderful work we are doing around the country. Tarrant County is joining in the movement of using #WeRWorkforce, we hope you will join us as well.
WEBSITE AND CALENDAR ENHANCEMENTS: Continuous improvements to our website will be an ongoing theme in 2016. We are always looking for ways to connect you with the information you need. Sign up for our Workforce Alerts to stay on top of all of our Latest News. Some of the items you will see, include: Latest Labor Market Information, Our Newsletter, Calendar Changes and Special Events. Believe me you do not want to miss it! We encourage you to share this information with others. You can also find the link to the PDF version of the Regional Workforce Leadership Council (RWLC) Annual report, this is a great item to refer to in presentations, etc.
Please make sure you check the calendar before meetings as it will have the most up-to-date meeting and location information including the agendas for our Board and Committee meetings. Also, our Board Packets will be shared one week prior to the meeting. All the latest information on the Job Fairs we are participating in will also be listed. Visit: http://workforcesolutions.net/calendar/
TEXT MESSAGING: At the end of January we launched text message alerts. You can sign up to receive the latest information on our Job Fairs, Hiring Events and even receive HOT JOBS. A flyer can be found in this month's Items of Interest packet. The information can also be found on our website and on social media.
If you are a customer, make sure to ask your counselor about getting text alert reminders for appointments, to turn in documents, etc....
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| Calendar of Events | |
Board and Committee Meetings:
(for the latest information please make sure to check our website calendar)
February
- February 15, 2016 - Workforce Centers and Board Office Closed in observance of President's Day
- February 16, 2016 - Fort Worth Chamber presents - Mayor Price State of the City Address - 11:30 a.m. - Fort Worth Convention Center
- February 17, 2016 - DFW Aerospace Consortium Meeting - 8:00 a.m. - Lockheed Martin
- February 18, 2016 - Inter-Agency Workforce Group - 9:00 a.m. - Goodwill
March
- March 12-15, 2016 - NAWB Forum - Washington D.C.
- March 17, 2016 - Arlington Chamber presents - Judge Whitley State of the County Address - 11:30 a.m. - Sheraton Arlington Hotel
- March 25, 2016 - Workforce Centers and Board Office Closed in observance of Good Friday
- March 31, 2016 - Workforce Delivery Systems Committee Meeting - 11:45 a.m. - Board Offices
- We do not have a board meeting in the month of March
April
- April 5, 2016 - ArlingtonAnswers.com Job Fair (with a youth focus) - Arlington Convention Center
- April 6, 2016 - Workforce Improvement Committee Meeting - 3:30 p.m. - Board Offices
- April 13, 2016 - Workforce Development Board Meeting - 9:00 a.m. - Lena Pope
- April 14, 2016 - DFW Aerospace Consortium Meeting - 8:00 a.m. - Location TBD
- April 20, 2016 - AllianceTexas Hiring Fair - 9:00 a.m. - Texas Motor Speedway
- April 21, 2016 - Inter-Agency Workforce Group - 9:00 a.m. - Goodwill
- Save the Date - April 28, 2016 - Tarrant Literacy Coalition eighth annual Corporate Spelling Bee
New events are being added all the time!
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A Special Honor
Celebrating over 19 years of service on our Board, we are fortunate to have 2 Board Members reach that milestone. The Texas Workforce Commission commemorated this honor by recognizing years of service at the recent Annual Conference (in Dallas) and also sent these beautiful certificates. Congratulations to Carlos and Louise and thank you for all you have given to the citizens of Tarrant County!
Board Member, Carlos De La Torre
Board Member, Louise Appleman
Annual Board Meeting Awards
Recognized for her time as DFW Aerospace Consortium Chair: Jean Wallace, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Non-Profit of the Year Nomination: Celena Fannin, The Women's Center of Tarrant County
Employer Award of Excellence: SIMOS Insourcing Solutions
UnSung Hero (Local) Award: Kathryn Thompson, Tarrant Literacy Coalition
UnSung Hero (Local) Award: Fred Schmidt, Tarrant County College District
Child Care Partner Award: Educational Alignment for Young Children (EAYC) project
Community Partner Award: The Arlington Rotary and the Arlington Sunset Rotary
Employer Partner Award: Hillwood Properties
Education Partner Award: University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
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Workforce Solutions for Tarrant is committed to Keeping Tarrant County Working!
More information about our events, services, programs and Workforce Center locations is available on our website.
An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available, upon request, to individuals with disabilities. (TDD/TTY) 1-800-RELAYTX
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