Emily Crawford, BEDC Executive Director, Dr. Reece Blincoe, Brownwood ISD Superintendent, and Brian Kight, Associate VP of Enrollment at TSTC represented Brownwood at the “Future of the Workforce” regional meeting hosted by Texas Workforce Commission Chair, Andres Alcantar in Austin on Thursday, July 12.  Six local workforce boards were invited to bring representatives of successful partnerships that had been established to focus on local business and/or community needs within their workforce service area.  The event showcased partnerships in Austin, Georgetown, Lee County, Waco, Ft. Hood, Killeen, Bryan/College Station and Brownwood.

Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas Board Executive Director, Mary Ross, said Brownwood was a logical choice because of the many accomplishments of the Education Workforce Solutions of Brown County Committee.  Emily Crawford said “We were honored to have been selected to represent the West Central Texas Region as a successful model for local collaboration between education and industry.  Our employers and educators are committed to working together and addressing challenges.”  Chair Alcantar praised the community’s efforts and success in working together and said it was an excellent model that he hoped would be replicated in other communities.

Chair Alcantar is hosting similar events across the state over the next few months and hopes that attendees will hear new ideas to implement in their communities.  Results of the meeting will be shared at the annual Texas Workforce Commission conference in late November.

Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas is one of 28 local workforce boards located throughout the state. The board serves Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton counties. The primary goal of the Texas Workforce Commission and the local workforce boards is to meet the needs of Texas’ employers through locally designed, market-driven workforce development initiatives and services. All employers, workers and job seekers are eligible to take advantage of these services. Questions may be directed to Mary Ross, Executive Director, for the Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas Board, at 325-795-4301or by e-mail to mary.ross@workforcesystem.org.