Businesses in Eagle Pass benefit from access to workforce partners and extensive programs located throughout the region. Workforce development solutions for upskilling, on-the-job training, and recruiting are readily available. Contact Eagle Pass Economic Development for help connecting to the services that will help your business reach the next level.
Texas Workforce Commission
Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) works hand-in-hand with the City of Eagle Pass to consistently improve our young workforce.
- On-the-Job Training (OJT): Provides a unique opportunity for participants who already possess some job-related skills to "learn as they earn." By participating in training as an employee, the participant acquires new skills, while earning wages. The employer benefits by being reimbursed for a percentage of the participant’s wages for 6 months, while having the service of a full-time employee. OJT can also be funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
- Self Sufficiency Fund: The Self Sufficiency Fund Program, administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), assists businesses by designing, financing, and implementing customized job-training programs in partnership with public community and technical colleges, higher education extension services, or community-based organizations for the creation of new jobs and/or the retraining of the existing workforce. The goal is to help at-risk adults obtain training, find jobs, and become independent of government financial assistance. Recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), members of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households, and/or parents, including a noncustodial parent, who make less than $37,000 annually are eligible.
- Skills Development Fund (SDF): As a Texas employer, you are the focus of the Skills Development Fund — the premier upskilling program in Texas. SDF grants provide site-specific, customized training opportunities for Texas businesses and their employees to increase skill levels and wages of the workforce. Employers provide two things: a desire to collaborate with other partners involved with the project and the commitment to see the project through to completion. Under the program, businesses gain a more highly trained workforce, workers upgrade their skills, and the Texas economy is strengthened.
- Skills for Small Business: The Skills for Small Business program finances the design and implementation of customized job training programs for newly hired employees of small businesses with less than 100 employees, all in collaboration with public community colleges.
- Recruit Texas: Allows public community or technical colleges an opportunity to provide intensive and rapid response to, and support services for, employers expanding in or relocating operations in Texas. As part of the Skills Development Fund, the Recruit Texas program is administered by TWC with a focus on curriculum, supportive services, instructor certification, and equipment procurement.
- Vocational Rehabilitation: Vocational Rehabilitation Services supports people with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain, and advance in meaningful employment by providing a range of services based on an individual’s employment goals.
- Adult Education & Literacy: Funded by the TWC to provide English language, math, reading, and writing instruction to help students acquire the skills needed to succeed in the workforce, earn a high school equivalency, or enter college or career training.
- Texas Veterans Leadership Program: The Texas Veterans Leadership Program is a Texas Workforce Commission resource and referral network connecting returning veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with the resources and tools they need to lead productive lives and enjoy the full benefits of the society they have willingly served.
- Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC): WOTC is a federal income tax benefit administered by the U.S. Department of Labor for employers who hire individuals from specified target populations. WOTC reduces a business’s federal tax liability, serving as an incentive to select job candidates who may be disadvantaged in their efforts to find employment. The main objective of this program is to enable individuals to become employed, earn a steady income, and become contributing taxpayers.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIO) is designed to help job seekers secure the employment, education, training, and support services necessary to succeed in the labor market, as well as match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.
- Pre-Apprenticeship: The Pre-Apprenticeship program is a set of strategies that is designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in a Registered Apprenticeship Program. Employer partners must be interested in hiring pre-apprentices after training is successfully completed.
- Registered Apprenticeship: Registered Apprenticeships are jobs. A Registered Apprenticeship is the process of learning a skilled occupation through paid on-the-job training under the supervision of a journey-level craftsperson or trade professional combined with related classroom instruction.
- High Demand Job Training Program: The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has dedicated one million dollars to support collaborations between Workforce Development Boards and Economic Development Corporations to provide high-demand occupational job training in local workforce areas. Funds will be available through August 31, 2022.
- Customized Training: Programs are designed to improve skills and self-sufficiency wages. An employer commits to hire trainee(s) upon completion of training.
- Incumbent Worker Training: Incumbent worker training serves to increase the competitiveness of the employee and employer. It is designed to meet the specific requirements of an employer or group of employers to retain a skilled workforce, or avert the need to lay off employees, by assisting the workers in obtaining the skills necessary to retain employment.
- Individual Training Accounts (ITAs): These are WIOA-funded and used by participants for training services. ITAs are established on behalf of a WIOA adult, dislocated worker, out-of-school youth, or in-school youth participant eligible for training services.
- Texas Industry Partnership Program: TWC has dedicated $1 million to address skills gaps and ensure a talent pipeline is available to address regional industry needs. Private employers or corporate foundations can collaborate with Workforce Solutions to apply for funding for WIOA activities that support workforce development for six designated industry clusters: Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing, Aerospace and Defense, Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Information Technology, Petroleum Refining and Chemical Products, and Energy.
Workforce Solutions Middle Rio Grande
Workforce Solutions Middle Rio Grande serves Maverick County by providing employer-driven workforce development services, as well as assisting in recruiting and training. These customized services focus on employers' need for a knowledgeable, skillful workforce to help businesses become productive and competitive, both locally and in the global market.
Workforce Solutions offers the following services to help businesses find qualified candidates who are trained and equipped with the right skills:
- Recruiting, screening, and referral to open positions.
- Testing for potential hires and current employees.
- Consulting on topics such as hiring/firing, Equal Opportunity/ADA, turnover analysis, salary and benefits, unemployment insurance, job skills analysis, and staff development.
- Rapid response services assist with layoff situations by providing assistance to the affected employees.
- Shared work assistance.
- Finding resources for training new and current employees.
- Providing information about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which reduces a private, for-profit business’ federal tax liability if the business hires from a target population.