SUPPLY VS. DEMAND As the local job market adds more positions in manufacturing and other technical industries, certain fields are becoming oversaturated, which creates a skills mismatch, meaning there are more skilled workers than jobs in a given industry.
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 4400 College Park Drive, Round Rock Tuition cost: varies • Welding skills • Advanced manufacturing • Degree or certificate in Geographic Information Systems • High-tech automotive and engine repair • Technician/Pre-Engineering Institute SKILLPOINT ALLIANCE 8868 Research Blvd., Ste. 505, Austin Tuition cost: free with maximum income requirement WHERE TO LEARN NEW SKILLS Several educational institutions and training opportunities provide local job training and certifications related to the manufacturing industry:
Top jobs that are oversaturated as of December 2022: Supply Demand 3,318 2,972
1,047
501
171
51
Customer service representatives
Office clerks
Cashier
SOURCE: TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
air conditioning technician. Skillpoint Alliance CEO Kevin Brackmeyer said the workforce development nonprofit has expanded the number of certifications to match what employers are looking for. “We’re trying to mimic our programs to coincide with what is expected in the man- ufacturing industry,” Brack- meyer said. Regional partnerships In Hutto, Texas State Technical College is work- ing directly with employers to guide existing and future courses offered as well as the use of new facilities.
After receiving $208 million through Senate Bill 52 in 2021 to construct additional facili- ties, Lissa Adams, the provost of the Texas State Techni- cal College East Williamson County Campus, said the college system is working to invest those dollars with man- ufacturing growth in mind. Additionally, local trade professionals maintain it is important to better market positions to students as early as elementary school. Leaders including Adams said the public school system is an important starting point to change the perception of manufacturing jobs. Pursuing a trade can yield
a higher-paying job out of the gate with certifications, Adams said. These careers require technical skills and include jobs such as produc- tion line machinery. “We’re seeing just so many opportunities for people that are reskilling or getting a new trade,” Adams said. “[But we’re also seeing students] at 19 years old are making over $60,000 a year with just two years of training under their belt. It’s pretty phenomenal.”
• Electrical • Plumbing • HVAC • Manufacturing technician
TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE 1600 Innovation Blvd., Hutto Tuition cost: varies
• Precision machining technology • Electrical power and controls • Welding technology • Industrial systems • Instrumentation technology
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SOURCES: AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SKILLPOINT ALLIANCE, TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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