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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.
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From the desk of Mike Ramsey, Executive Director of the City of San Antonio's Workforce Development Office
Happy Holidays! It’s hard to believe how quickly 2023 is progressing. The San Antonio Ready to Work team and partners are working hard to deliver a seamless experience for participants enrolled in the program and for those who are eager to get started. It’s a great time to reflect on where we’ve been, but more importantly, on where we’re going.
One of the most exciting developments is the launch of the Pay It Forward Internship program in collaboration with the national nonprofit, Social Finance. This pilot program begins in early 2024 with employers like USAA and CPS Energy who will host internships for IT training completers without experience. The City will pay ~$5,000 wages per intern while the host employer offers a long-term, on-the-job interview. If the employer ultimately hires the intern, the employer will repay the City, which then will provide another internship opportunity to a Ready to Work participant. This is yet another way we are increasing access to quality jobs and supporting economic mobility. Workforce development partnerships are key. We don’t work in silos; we work in collaboration with various stakeholders who bring Ready to Work to life. This is a shining example of what can be done when opportunity meets preparation. We are all excited to see this program unfold.
What I continue to appreciate about San Antonio and Bexar County is the unique way that people here make connections and reach out to help others. I recently attended a C.O.P.S./Metro Alliance meeting on the East Side where 500 people gathered to hear about important issues, including Ready to Work. Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.) and the Metro Alliance are a coalition of congregations, schools, and unions coming together to effectively act on behalf of families, and they are eager to see Ready to Work succeed. The most pressing issue for members of the organization, as well as for the Ready to Work team, is to place people into well-paid jobs that are in high demand.
To do this properly, we have prioritized employer engagement. From the start we have been obtaining employer pledges to hire Ready to Work graduates, and to inform us about their specific hiring needs. With over 5,400 participants enrolled in education and training programs, we are strongly encouraging our business community to connect with them earlier in the process to influence training program selection and to support candidates through completion. So far SA Ready to Work graduates are earning a median of $15.38/hour more than when they enrolled in the program. That equates to more than $31,000/year!
We also need to address participant barriers to allow them to succeed in training and in the workplace. Our office is collaborating with the City’s PreK 4 SA, Department of Human Services and the Economic Development Department to conduct a six-month study that will focus on childcare quality and capacity throughout our area. In parallel, we have surveyed our Ready to Work participants for their specific childcare needs. Our goal will be to improve how we can match moms and dads with affordable, high-quality childcare while they train and work. We’ll keep you posted on these studies and our continuous improvement initiatives.
San Antonio ISD, a Ready to Work pledged employer, announced exciting news of the district's first pre-apprenticeship program in partnership with the City of San Antonio's Workforce Development Office and its Apprenticeship Building America grant program, and LIUNA, a construction and energy industries union, to implement the LEARN Construction Craft Laborer high school program. It will be based at Sam Houston High School, will focus on the construction industry, and is meant to meet the current and future workforce needs of local area construction workers by building sustainable construction career pathways for high school students to meet industry needs for talent. The partnership will give students a well-rounded academic experience, industry recognized credentials, tangible employable skills and employment after completing the program. Apprenticeships are one of the oldest forms of workforce development and this is one more way that we're able to intersect the industry with talented people to do the job.
Have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! See you in 2024!
With sincere gratitude,
Mike Ramsey
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Financial Snapshot
Fiscal responsibility and stewardship remain top priorities for Ready to Work, funded by taxpayers and overseen by the City of San Antonio’s Workforce Development Office.
Ready to Work revenues collected from inception through the end of November 2023 totaled about $125M. In the program’s first year and a half of existence, approximately 20% has been expensed to date for participant services such as Intake and Assessment, Case Management, Tuition and Training, and Emergency Services; and for department operational costs related to Administration, Support Programs, Outreach, and State Sales Tax Collection Fees.
Ready to Work remains committed to the goals outlined from the start: To interview 39,000 applicants, enroll 28,000 in training, and place 15,600 in quality jobs over the lifetime of the program.
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Participant Spotlight - Carol Mayfield
 Carol Mayfield is a business major with an emphasis in human resources at Texas A&M University – San Antonio, where she enrolled through Workforce Solutions Alamo to go back to class.
Her life-long goal is to obtain her bachelor’s degree, which she had to put off earlier in life due to family matters and then raising three children – and getting them through college.
“I was a little intimidated, going ‘Can I do this?’ she asked herself. “I knew I wanted to. The more I get involved, the more it’s like, for lack of a better word, I crave it and want more and I’m excited about learning. That makes it more enjoyable and it’s a challenge. I’m enjoying every moment, proving to myself that I can still do this.”
Listen to Mayfield in her own words on our very first Ready to Work Podcast!
Click here to listen
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Training Provider Spotlight: Excel Driving School – Going the Extra Mile for Students
SA RTW and Excel Driver Services Participant Luis Marquez
For the month of December, we are making space to recognize Excel Driver Services, an SA Ready to Work training provider that truly excels in preparing program participants to enter new careers in the trucking field. To date, SA Ready to Work has enrolled 803 participants in Commercial Driver’s License courses, which means that having a slate of training providers who are dedicated to delivering high-quality training and support for participants is imperative.
“Excel is founded on a belief that people have an innate desire to succeed in both their personal and professional lives,” says Excel Operations Manager Maria Mireles. “We focus on helping people improve their career opportunities through better training, but also work on soft skills like Critical Decision Making.” This holistic approach to serving trainees has paid off, as Excel has a 98% pass rate for their participants, according to Mireles. To date, Excel has trained over 200 SA Ready to Work participants!
When asked why Excel chose to engage as a SA RTW training provider, Mireles cited the similarity in her organization’s mission with Ready to Work. “…we just want people to “Excel”, which seems to be the same goal of the Ready To Work program.” She added that because the local demand for CDL drivers is showing no signs of stopping, the partnership between Excel and Ready to Work makes great sense for both businesses and San Antonians looking for a lucrative new career.
Local employers hiring for CDL drivers want well-prepared candidates, and with providers like Excel training workforce-ready residents, employers considering taking the SA RTW pledge should consider tapping into this high-quality pipeline, and Mireles agrees. “I would suggest [employers] look at the current difficulty in hiring good employees and ask them where they think they will find good employees in the future as their business grows”.
When it comes to making a drastic change to one’s life, the journey can feel like a lonely one. But Mireles encourages residents considering enrolling in SA RTW to take a leap of faith. “Take the opportunity to improve your life with people that care and that offer you help every step of the way toward your success. You are not alone. You have a whole village behind you focused on you achieving the success you desire.”
Thank you to Excel Driver Services for being a part of the Ready to Work village!
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San Antonio Snapshots
The City’s Ready to Work Team is always standing by – ready to assist, support and provide the best customer service. During this month’s all staff meeting, we paused to reflect on the blessings of the season and the wonderful work that each and every partner, training provider, participant and employer puts into Ready to Work. Even Santa stopped by to join the photo. He delivered the best gift of all: the opportunity to keep doing what we love! Happy Holidays!
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Ready to Engage
Upcoming Events
Ready to Work is reaching into the community throughout San Antonio to ensure the program is a success. Whether you are a community-based organization who wants to leverage Ready to Work to assist your client, 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.
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