Texas Economic Development
Center, Texas A&M University-
Corpus Christi, and Workforce
Solutions of the Coastal Bend
as part of a national network
of organizations, known at The
Graduate! Network, which is
devoted to seeing more adults
complete a college degree
or other post-secondary
credential will be launching an
Employer Survey to identify
and address skill shortages
and opportunities for education
partnerships across the Coastal
Bend community. The intent
is to capture data to help state
policymakers, educational
institutions, and training
providers better understand the
urgency of employers’ needs
and take action. Responses to
this survey will provide valuable
feedback and will help guide
community-wide strategies for
creating a work-ready Coastal
Bend.
For additional information
regarding the Chamber's
Education and Workforce
initiatives, including this project,
click here or contact Dr. Gilda
Ramirez, VP of Small Business &
Education at 361.881.1800 or
[email protected].
5 TALENT HUB
DESIGNATION OPENS
DOORS //
Cities across America are facing
the same problem: There are
ample jobs available for all
residents in the community, but
residents aren’t meeting the
basic requirements to fill the
positions. The largest contributor
to this anomaly? Lack of
education, specifically education
after high school.
By the year 2025, more than
60% of jobs will require some
form of secondary education,
whether that be college, trade
school or an apprenticeship
in a particular field. However,
residents of many cities, aren’t
attaining secondary education.
The Lumina Foundation’s entire
premise is education after high
school. Through community
mobilization, education and
training, the foundation works
with communities to form
partnerships improve their
education system for residents
of that area. The idea is that
partnerships bring together
businesses, government and
education sectors for the
common goal of attracting,
retaining and developing
the workforce that particular
community needs.
Corpus Christi is one of 24 Talent
Hubs currently across America.
To earn the designation, five
criteria must be met: strength
of partnership health; alignment
with local and state-level policy
and resources; retainment
of individuals who enter the
education system; sustainability
of programs in planning and
practice; and commitment to
equity, specifically concerning
minority learners. To remain a
Talent Hub, communities must
demonstrate forward motion and
future plans.
Citizens for Educational
Excellence (CEE) is a driving
force behind Corpus Christi’s
Talent Hub designation. The
goal in Corpus Christi is for
60% percent of the population
to have a post-high school
certificate or degree by 2030.
“25% of our city’s population
is comprised of adults without
a college degree,” said Janet
Cunningham, CEE Executive
Director. “We have great jobs
but don’t have the workers
to fill them. They need skills,
certificates and degrees. Getting
people to understand that
the jobs are here and getting
them on track to earning those
positions is our main goal.”
Through a multitude of
partnerships across the city built
in the last decade, Cunningham
and her team have made great
strides in adult educational
efforts, and the Talent Hub
designation has been immensely
helpful. “The most important
part,” Cunningham said, “is
coming together as a community
for a common cause.”
“We as a community need to
support our own population,”
she said. “Businesses shouldn’t
have to look outside of our own
city or state to find workers, and
everything that has happened
in our city in the last eight years
is testament to that. This has all
happened because people have
put aside their differences to
move these programs forward,
and our city is thriving because
of that.”
Click here to read the full version
of this article.