It’s no secret that 2020 has been an exceedingly difficult year so far for many businesses and workers in the Schertz and San Antonio areas. Residents have found themselves facing unexpected job losses or struggling to keep their businesses open. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted industries small and large, ranging from restaurants & bars to small local retailers, the hardest. Residents transitioning from these and other sectors are considering how to ensure financial security for themselves and their families in the short and long term. While the future is uncertain, there are regional companies that are still hiring through the pandemic. This may be a perfect time for residents to obtain in-demand skills through new low-cost university programs and secure entry-level positions with regional industries positioned to potentially thrive through an extended pandemic.
The City of Schertz Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), per its mission of growing the Schertz economy, consistently works with local employers to understand the most in-demand skills. With this information, the SEDC collaborates with universities and communicates which career skillsets employers need now. The SEDC is also working to help inform the community about new programs offered to those affected.
According to SEDC Business Retention Manager, Jennifer Kolbe, “Schertz has more than a hundred manufacturing and wholesale distribution companies, many of which are essential to the regional and national economy. While some may have scaled back, many are still operating. They continue to need skilled workers, especially those with industrial and equipment maintenance certifications. Based on conversations with the companies, we consistently hear that these skills, combined with coursework in IT, management, and leadership, are transferable and extremely valuable in Schertz and throughout the region. Thankfully, our local education providers offer great programs that can help anyone develop the skills needed to get a job in essential industries.”
University of Texas at San Antonio
Among the local colleges and universities that are offering resources and training is the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), with its Career in Focus initiative. This initiative encompasses seven programs designed for the newly unemployed or anyone looking to gain new career skills in those areas that are in high demand in our community. According to UTSA Extended Education Program Marketing Manager Jeff Berry, the university has been focused on developing new career-engaged learning programs for more than a year and was already planning to roll out some of the new offerings, but has expedited the timeline due to the urgent need generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the new programs available under the Career in Focus initiative is the Job Jumpstart Program, offering free or low-cost courses in a wide variety of career skill areas, all of which can be completed in six weeks or less. The courses are taught 100 percent online and include more than 30 different topics including communication, web page creation, accounting, small business marketing, database development, and various software applications.
UTSA is also offering new Career Builder Badges, a series of 12 self-administered online courses that allow individuals who complete them to earn a digital competency badge that can be added to the student’s LinkedIn profile or resume. Badge courses are divided into Job Seeker and Leadership topic areas and participants can earn as many badges as they choose, completely free of charge.
In addition, the university is now offering a Career Training Scholarship program which will provide financial assistance of up to $500 towards a series of career training programs in the areas of customer support, administrative support, information technology, sales, and healthcare that will prepare participants to earn national certification in these areas.
“We know that people who have lost their jobs need easily-accessible programs that can be completed quickly and that are highly relevant to the current available positions here,” said UTSA’s Jeff Berry. “That’s what we are offering, and we really want the community to take advantage of, this unique set of resources we can provide.”
Alamo Colleges Continuing Education and Corporate College Departments
Another local higher education institution helping to meet the needs of workers and small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19 is the Alamo Colleges Continuing Education and Corporate College Departments. Through its Continuing Education courses and Workforce Training program, Alamo Colleges is focused on providing marketable job skills training to area residents as part of its mission. The Alamo Colleges have made a concerted effort to quickly adapt their programs to meet the current needs of the community. In addition to moving in-person programs to an online format whenever possible, the organization is continuing to analyzing the unique challenges faced by workers in the local area and trying to adapt their offerings accordingly.
“We are currently focusing on skilling up the workers in our community so we can make them more valuable in their current field or transfer their current skillset to a new field,” said Jessica Rendon, Alamo Colleges Director of Instructional Curriculum and Design. “For example, in San Antonio, hospitality workers have been disproportionately affected by layoffs. We are looking at ways that we can build upon and improve the skills that these workers possess.”
Rendon notes that there are currently more than 100 online courses available across industries, including manufacturing, IT security, healthcare, business, and professional development. All offered courses are synchronous, meaning that the instructors meet with students in real-time. Some course offerings, such as welding or truck driving do have an in-person component, but even these have been adapted to conduct as much virtual training as possible, and adaptations are being made to the in-person components to ensure they take necessary safety precautions when they resume.
Texas A&M San Antonio
A third university responding to the needs of displaced workers in the community is Texas A&M San Antonio (TAMUSA). Through the Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement, TAMUSA has developed a new program called Mission: Future. This program is intended to address the needs of San Antonio area workers who have been furloughed or laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Launched June 1st, Mission: Future has taken some of the courses previously offered only to TAMUSA students and made them available to anyone in the community who is seeking to improve their future. The university adapted the program to make it applicable to a broader audience, using online instruction and offering all courses in Spanish as well as English.
The program currently includes 8 courses that offer instruction in financial literacy, networking, and job-seeking, among other topics. There are also a few newly added topics that are particularly timely, including classes on adapting to working remotely and mastering virtual interviewing. The courses are affordable, with most priced under $50, and each course can be completed in 1.5 to 3 hours. Courses are taught in real-time and recorded so students can review the material later.
Mays Center Executive Director Edwin Blanton says that the program is open to anyone in the community but is specifically designed for those who have lost their jobs and are trying to figure out how to move forward.
“This is a difficult time for many workers who have been displaced or are looking for a change,” said Blanton. “The Mission: Future program helps these individuals get to the next steps in their career.”
Connecting to Opportunities and Employment
As residents consider transitioning to more resilient industries, the SEDC’s Jennifer Kolbe has this to say for those looking at future career options: “My advice for today’s job seekers, especially recent high school graduates, is to consider the programs offered by our local universities and look for jobs on the Schertz Job Board – www.SchertzEDC.com/job-board – and on www.WorkInTexas.com. Don’t be discouraged by uncertain times, stay positive, and keep moving forward. See a job you like? Go ahead and apply because most employers will train you if you show up, demonstrate a solid work ethic, and are committed to growing professionally. Great careers are available right in your own backyard.”
For more information or to register for these programs, please visit the following links: for TAMUSA’s Mission: Future – www.tamusa.edu/mission-future/courses.html, for Alamo College’s Continuing Education – www.alamo.edu/academics/wtn, and for UTSA’s Career in Focus Initiative – www.careerfocus.utsa.edu/.
About the SEDC
The City of Schertz Economic Development Corporation’s (SEDC) mission is to grow the Schertz economy through projects that focus on job creation and retention, as well as infrastructure improvements. To further this mission, the SEDC focuses on attracting and retaining primary job employers – companies that produce exportable goods and services. Assisting with workforce development and helping connect business with upskilling opportunities is one example of how the SEDC continues to provide support through its Business Retention and Expansion program to companies after they locate in the community. For more information on the SEDC and its initiatives, please visit www.schertzedc.com/new-growth-brings-new-job-opportunities/.