Item 4- Infrastructure Academy presentation — original pdf

Backup

Austin Infrastructure Academy Early Childhood Council Update MEGAN FORTSON, Senior Director, Austin Infrastructure Academy Megan.Fortson@wfscapitalarea.com 1 What is the Austin Infrastructure Academy (AIA)? AIA is a local coalition of partners in government, education, business, and the community working together to grow Austin’s workforce in construction, transportation, and other skilled trades. We connect local people to training and careers that power Austin’s growth—removing barriers so they can make a living, making Austin. What We Do: 1. Help employers find the workers they need​ 2. 3. Support people in building long-term careers​ Remove barriers like training costs, childcare, transportation, and gear​ 2 Austin Infrastructure Academy Stakeholders Job Seekers WFS CAPITAL AREA Convene and collaborate to build workforce INDUSTRY Inform skills needed & talent demand Austin Infrastructure Academy A local initiative that connects people to training and jobs in construction, transportation, and other skilled trades. EDUCATION/ TRAINING PROVIDERS Coordinate training the talent pipeline GOVERNMENT Align with city and county equitable growth goals COMMUNITY- BASED ORGS Enhance awareness and access to opportunity 3 Austin’s rapid expansion has sparked increased demand for new infrastructure development The rapid expansion of population and projects underscores the need for a robust Mobility + Infrastructure workforce, which can address Austin’s affordability challenges through good jobs and career pathways. Project Connect Airport & Convention Center Expansion IH-35 Expansion Samsung, Apple, Data Centers Tesla Gigafactory 4 Austin Infrastructure Academy Offerings Training Alignment Align training programs with in-demand skills and job sequencing, based on real- time needs identified by both job creators and job seekers Wraparound Services Offer childcare and other wraparound services to eliminate participation barriers Placement and Navigation Facilitate the matching of trained job seekers with job creators, improving navigation from training to job placement Recruitment Develop a robust, diverse talent pipeline with a recruitment focus on underserved Austinites Governance Set up a governance structure that reflects stakeholder input and ensures accountability to funders Impact and Evaluation Create an evaluation framework to assess the impact and outcomes of the Infrastructure Academy Sense of Belonging Establish a brand that fosters increased participation and funding while instilling a sense of belonging and pride 5 Child Care Support for Austin Infrastructure Academy Participants Training for your career shouldn’t mean choosing between work and family • Parents in Training/Earn-and-Learn/Job Placement Assistance are automatically eligible for child care assistance for 6 months • Funded by the Austin Infrastructure Academy via the City of Austin (No Parent Share of Cost) • After 6 months, continued support is available for those that meet income eligibility • Funded by the County, City, and Federal Dollars 6 Impact Snapshot Since launching the Austin Infrastructure Academy on March 26, 2025, we’ve made exciting progress during our first reporting period (March-September 2025): • • • • Raising Awareness: 790 local job seekers engaged Increasing Access: 405 local job seekers have *enrolled in the Austin Infrastructure Academy Removing Barriers: 96 job seekers received training scholarships Connecting Local Job Seekers & Employers: Employment data will be released in a future update. Please note that Unemployment Insurance (UI) data typically reflects a two-quarter reporting delay. * Provided career coaching/case management, training scholarships, support services (childcare, transportation, gear, etc.), job placement assistance 7 Building Austin’s Future Together Partnering For Impact 1. Reach and empower underserved Austinites 2. Remove barriers, like training costs, childcare, transportation, and gear 3. Connect people to training and jobs in transportation, construction, and skilled trades 8