DEPARTMENT: Economic Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Rene Dominguez
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-Wide
SUBJECT:
The Alamo Colleges Pathway Presentation will discuss a Workforce Alignment model that was developed from input provided at the San Antonio Workforce Summit. The Workforce Alignment Model is designed to optimize employer engagement and integration of major workforce and public education initiatives to address local workforce gaps through enhanced education pathways that prepare local residents and students for 21st century careers.
SUMMARY:
On January 27, 2015, Mayor Taylor and County Judge Wolff announced that the Alamo Colleges will lead the community-wide effort to oversee, align and execute key strategic initiatives that impact the workforce delivery system in San Antonio. The need to train and supply a skilled workforce to meet current and future industry demand is a local and national priority. The city's workforce and education systems need to be organized around career pathways that integrate education, training and job placement. These systems need to be responsive to barriers to success, such as adult illiteracy and a mismatch between training and in-demand job opportunities. Mitigation efforts should include short-term strategies to address non-educational barriers to employment and Adult Basic Education, and mid-term and long-term initiatives focused on middle skills certification pathways and community awareness and access issues.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A 2013 Alamo Colleges report estimated that more than 7,800 middle skills jobs in San Antonio go unfilled because potential local applicants do not possess the skills necessary to fulfill job requirements. This skills gap is a real and growing problem that must be addressed in order to take advantage of the quickly evolving environment for jobs and opportunities of our 21st Century economy, which is critical for economic development and growth. There are...
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