How higher education is kickstarting the Central Texas economy

Labor market data show that businesses are still hiring for high-demand skills in our community, but there is a gap between open positions and those who found themselves unemployed due to the pandemic.

Last year, ACC and other institutions stepped up to meet the needs of their current students as well as those suddenly seeking skills to launch new careers. Now, as business leaders and policymakers begin to plan Texas' recovery from this historic disruption, higher education institutions will be front and center in the conversation about talent development in the future Texas workforce and economy.

On April 16th, we were joined by Austin Community College District Chancellor Dr. Richard M. Rhodes, Texas Workforce Commission Commissioner Aaron Demerson, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Commissioner Dr. Harrison Keller, and Texas State Representative Terry Wilson to learn how our higher education partners are working to fill critical workforce needs, helping students more easily transition to high-demand careers, and collaborating with the region's employers.