  |
|
|
|
|
|
Board Allocates More Than $14 Million in Workforce Investment Act Funds for Service Delivery The Alamo WorkSource Board recently approved the award of workforce services contracts totaling over $14 million to four local community organizations for Fiscal Year 2007 (10/1/06-9/30/007) The Board selected SER Jobs for Progress, Inc. to operate and manage its career centers located in the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, and the Alamo Area Development Corporation (AADC) to operate and manage career centers located in the 11 surrounding rural counties.
The Board also selected Good Samaritan Community Services and the George Gervin Youth Center to provide youth development services to individuals between the ages of 14-18 under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in the City of San Antonio and Bexar County. Good Samaritan was also awarded a contract to provide the same services in the 11 county rural area. “All four of these community organizations have a proven track record of performance in providing workforce services”, stated Alan Miller, Executive Director of Alamo WorkSource. “They, along with the Alamo WorkSource Board, are committed to providing quality services to the residents and businesses of the Alamo area, and working with other area partners and stakeholders to build a well-educated, skilled workforce.” Each year, Alamo WorkSource serves over 80,000 job seekers (youth and adult) and over 8,000 employers in the Alamo Area through its network of local one-stop career centers and youth service providers. The career centers provide a wide array of workforce services to employers and job seekers, ranging from job matching and referral to financial assistance with education and training. The youth development contractors are focused on preparing the region’s youth with the skills needed to enter the workplace or continue their education on into college or technical training. For information on all available workforce programs and services, visit the Alamo WorkSource website at www.alamoworksource.org. The Alamo WorkSource serves the City of San Antonio and the counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson. The mission of Alamo WorkSource is to build a premier workforce in America by providing employers and residents with the opportunities, resources, and services to develop and gain a competitive edge in the global economy. UTSA Summer Smart Start Academy and Gen One Project Direct Teens to Higher Education This past summer UTSA hosted a two-week Summer Smart Start Academy designed for 9th, through 11th grade high school students from throughout the 12-county region. The two-week academy provided students with an intensive skills building program helping students with the information and support needed to pursue higher education opportunities. The academy combined academic preparation and career awareness opportunities, and included a curriculum of Math, Reading, Writing, and Vocabulary. The academy was held at the UTSA downtown campus and the Institute of Texas Cultures. The Summer Smart Start Academy was part of Alamo WorkSource’s First Generation College Student Project (Gen One) offered in partnership with UTSA and 13 area high schools throughout the region. The 13 high schools include Dilley, Natalia, Lylte, Center Point, Sequin, Poteet, New Braunfels, Southwest, Fox Tech, Kennedy, Memorial, McCollum, Harlandale, and Southwest Prep. The goal of the First Generation College Student Project is increase the college-going rate of first generation students by providing them with academic assistance, college prep, and various avenues to explore college and career opportunities.
The Texas Higher Education Board (THECB) reports that one of their primary goals is to increase college enrollment rates in Texas by 630,000 more students by 2015. This broad based initiative is also known as Closing the Gaps. THECB reports that “85% of the projected enrollment increase will be in 3 regions of the State, with the largest of those regions being South Texas, which includes Bexar and its surrounding counties. Should the state fail to reach its enrollment goal, we could be faced with an economic crisis of having an under-educated population and workforce.
The First Generation College Student Project is one local initiative that supports the Closing the Gaps initiative. For more information on the First Generation College Student Project, contact Tim Dusek at or call (210) 272-3260, ext. 1101. Chief Elected Officials Recognize a Decade of Workforce Development The Alamo WorkSource Board of Directors celebrated 10-years of workforce development in the Alamo region this year, 2006. In support and recognition of the anniversary, many area Cities and Counties supported Alamo WorkSource with Proclamations declaring October 18, 2006 Alamo WorkSource Day.
Alamo WorkSource serves the City of San Antonio and the counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina and Wilson. Alamo WorkSource serves as the designated grant recipient and administrative entity for all federal and state workforce program funds allocated to the Alamo Area. The work of Alamo WorkSource includes:
For more information about Alamo WorkSource, visit our website at www.AlamoWorkSource.com
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
