Ready to Work is the Bridge to Belief:

• Belief in every person’s ability to contribute;
• Belief in every person’s right to pursue happiness;
• Belief in the value of traditional and non-traditional education; and
• Belief that we all have the power to change the future when we work together.

From the desk of Mike Ramsey, Executive Director of the City of San Antonio's Workforce Development Office

I am delighted to report that San Antonio’s Ready to Work initiative – the leading workforce program of its kind in the United States – is continuing to garner national attention.

Last week the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation invited us to present at its Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) National Learning Network Summit in Washington, D.C. There, we shared the story of San Antonio’s successful launch of Ready to Work, thanks to the approval of a November 2020 ballot authorizing the use of over $200 million of sales tax dollars to increase education levels of San Antonio residents and to enhance and expand our local talent pool.

Several San Antonio leaders joined me to discuss the current talent challenges that San Antonio faces and how Ready to Work is addressing them, including Katie Ferrier (Vice President of Education & Workforce Development, San Antonio Greater Chamber of Commerce), Priscilla Camacho (Chief Legislative, Industry & External Relations Officer, Alamo Colleges District), and Romanita Matta-Barrera (Chief Workforce Officer, greater:SATX).

We provided an overview of how Ready to Work is leveraging the TPM framework established by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to efficiently and effectively engage local employers. TPM is a strategy based on employer demand that identifies critical needs and creates reliable pathways for students and workers. We shared Ready to Work’s ambitious goals and lessons we are learning as we strive to meet these goals. 

We received a warm reception and appreciation for providing differing perspectives and transparency.  San Antonio continues to lead an innovative path for the country, and we are proud to represent you in our nation’s capital.

Sincerely,

Mike Ramsey

Ready to Change Lives

Thank you to the 239 local employers that have pledged support for Ready to Work. Employers will help guide the desired training and education of participants to help improve our local economy and to ensure the ultimate success of the program. Being an active and engaged business leader bring benefits to local businesses in the short and long term. These benefits include but are not limited to:

• Access to expanding talent pipeline 
• City-funded training and educational benefits for eligible employees
• Input on approved training catalog
• Enhanced network of workforce agencies, community resources and local training providers
• Increased contracting and subcontracting opportunities
• Workplace diversity
• Economic development for San Antonio

Employer Highlight: Toyotetsu Texas, Inc., Represented by Leslie Cantu

Toyotetsu Texas is an on-site factory at San Antonio’s Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. The company began operations in November 2006 as Toyotetsu’s third location in North America. The company produces Tundra and Tacoma truck parts for the San Antonio Toyota plant, including nearly all truck underbodies. It also produces suspension parts such as upper bodies, functional parts and lower arms.

Leslie Cantu is Assistant Vice President of Administration at Toyotetsu Texas. She also currently serves as the Chair of the Workforce Solutions Alamo Board. She feels it is essential for local businesses to develop our regional talent pipeline actively.

“At Toyotetsu, we understand the importance of being actively involved in our San Antonio community,” she said. “By taking the ‘Ready to Work Pledge,’ we are confirming our commitment to provide unemployed, underemployed and under-represented residents with rewarding career opportunities in manufacturing that offer competitive wages, continued growth and development throughout their career path.

“Toyotetsu’s involvement on the WSA board and other workforce development committees helps our region as a whole to better prepare for our future workforce needs,” Cantu said. “It’s critical for the industry to be the driving force of our workforce development system to ensure that our education and training partners have the vital feedback and information to help create our next generation of talent. “ 

Cantu offers the following advice to undecided employers about signing the RTW Employer Pledge “RTW is designed to place highly skilled and highly motivated job seekers in high-demand, well-paid careers, such as the ones your business is trying to fill,” she said. “By taking the employer pledge, you commit to providing opportunities for residents that will also help your business grow! In today’s tight job market, why wouldn’t you want to tap into this talent pipeline to fill your workforce needs?”

She noted that Toyotetsu believes that Ready to Work will be a groundbreaking workforce development program that will set the standard for future national programs.

“This program will help thousands of residents achieve educational and professional goals and improve their quality of life for generations to come,” she emphasized. “The RTW program can help launch careers that will inspire others to do the same. RTW will create a skilled and motivated workforce that can meet our business community's needs, allowing local businesses to grow and creating even more jobs for our region.”

Are you ready to take the Employer Pledge? Click here to learn more.

Ready to Serve

The City has partnered with over 30 local organizations to implement the Ready to Work program.

• Creative Noggin, COPS/Metro, MM Creative, and Black Business San Antonio are assisting with community outreach and marketing.
• SA WORX is assisting with employer engagement.
• Workforce Solutions Alamo, Alamo Colleges District, Project QUEST and Restore Education are the City’s prime contractors for intake, assessment and case management services. Subcontractors include Avance, Barcom, C2 Global Services, Chrysalis Ministries, Dynamic Advancement, Empyra, Family Service Association, Goodwill Industries San Antonio, Graduation Alliance, Our Community, Plumquest, Profile Design Studio, SA Food Bank, SAISD, SeeKing HR, Texas A&M San Antonio, WHY Group, Worldwide Languages and YWCA.

Partner Agency Highlight of the Month: the San Antonio Food Bank, Represented by Melanie McGuire, Chief Program Officer

Founded in 1980, the San Antonio Food Bank has quickly grown to serve 100,000 individuals a week in one of the largest service areas in Texas. Fighting hunger is the San Antonio Food Bank’s number one priority, but it also serves to educate and provide assistance in many other ways. It achieves this through its variety of programs and resources available to families, individuals, seniors, children and military members in need. Its ultimate goals are for clients to have food for today AND to also have the resources to be self-sufficient in the future.

Melanie McGuire, Chief Program Officer at the San Antonio Food Bank, noted that the San Antonio Food Bank is committed to addressing the needs of residents in San Antonio. “We understand that the root of food insecurity oftentimes lies in poverty. Investments for training and higher wages are upstream solutions that address food insecurity,” she explained. “We value our partnership with the City of San Antonio, Texas Workforce Commission, and the numerous nonprofit partners and employers to create a Secure San Antonio.”

This past August, the Workforce Solutions Alamo’s (WSA) latest career center opened at the San Antonio Food Bank’s headquarters on San Antonio’s West Side. This innovative partnership is designed to better serve community members in need. Individuals and families who come to the Food Bank seeking food assistance now have easier access to employment help. They can be connected to career counselors, job training, and job placement assistance. WSA plans to expand this effort to involve a mobile career center unit that can travel to food pantries across Bexar County and offer employment assistance.

“At the San Antonio Food Bank we are committed to “Food for a Lifetime” strategies that include job training, job placements, GED programs, digital literacy and more,” McGuire said.  “Our work often intersects with Workforce Solutions Alamo for residents looking to meet their basic needs while navigating the job market. Together we determined that access should not be a barrier to success, so our partnership -- including co-location of services, mutual referral programs and co-hosting events – ensures we meet our residents’ today, tomorrow and lifetime needs.

“We strive to provide excellent customer service and compassion to anyone that walks through our doors, attends a food distribution or gives us a call,” she continued. “Our Case Managers understand the complexities that residents face each day around meeting their daily needs while planning for their future. We never want residents to have to choose between their basic needs and their future, so our team ensures we are screening for all services that will ultimately lead to their future success.”

McGuire emphasized that the organization encourages anyone interested in the Ready to Work program through the San Antonio Food Bank to connect with the staff by visiting the facility, calling, or emailing to learn more. “By taking this first step, our Case Managers will then help you navigate the process.”

Ready to Engage

We’d like to remind Ready to Work Partners and supporters about the Ready to Work Community of Practice website, hosted by our technical advisors, Jobs for the Future, to facilitate information sharing. Please bookmark the page and visit regularly—your friends at the Workforce Development Office, Creative Noggin, and JFF are updating the website with new materials and resources frequently. If you have questions or would like to request something to be added to the website, please reach out to the JFF team at rtwsa2022@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events

Ready to Work is engaging all the audiences throughout San Antonio to ensure the program is a success. Therefore, the team has a constantly evolving list of events and meetings to listen and to educate people about the Ready to Work program and how to be involved. Whether you are a community-based organization who can help reach the people of San Antonio who need support, or a business owner interested in taking the Employer Pledge, there is a place for you at the table. Below is a partial list of upcoming events. If you are interested in having Ready to Work be a part of one of your events, please contact rtw.help@sanantonio.gov.

If you represent a community-based organization and are interested in Participating in the Ready Today Community Champion event, you may learn more and register at the link below!

Want to learn more about what Ready to Work offers? Click here!

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