Workforce and Training

Success in Attracting and Retaining a Trained, Quality Workforce in Rowlett Texas

The Dallas Fort Worth region continues to rank high in the U.S. for attracting, developing and retaining a trained, quality workforce. The region's success is largely attributed to an impressive and diverse network of education and training entities in the DFW region and North Texas.

Workforce development is an essential component of economic development and benefits the sustainable growth of a community and region. Strong economies hinge upon youth having the skills needed for their future career paths. Investment in the diversification of skills is critical to creating a more robust workforce to meet the needs of today's business and industry.

Image

Texas Advancement Center

The Texas Advancement Center (TAC), provides unique training programs geared towards high school students, post-secondary graduates, and unemployed and underemployed adults in the workforce. TAC offers guidance and assistance with job-search strategies, resume writing and interviewing best practices. Much of the training is available at no charge to students and is covered through the Texas Workforce Commission. Graduates typically stay in the Dallas Fort Worth region
View More

GISD Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center

Educating 55,000 students across 72 campuses, Garland ISD ranks as the second-largest school district in Dallas County, fifth largest in Dallas-Fort Worth, 15th-largest in Texas, and is among the 75-largest in America. GISD's Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center (GRCTC) offers students attending any of the seven GISD high schools the opportunity to take advanced-level Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses in addition to taking other classes at their home campus.
View More
Image
Image

Dallas College / Ascend Institute

Dallas College is one of the largest community colleges in Texas, offering 300+ academic and technical degrees and certificates and 100+ high demand career programs and training for over 100,000 students in total credit and continuing education. Ascend Institute, the contract training arm of Dallas College, is designed to respond quickly to a variety of corporate training needs, from technical education to team building or to determine if job applicants are the right fit for your company. They work with business and industry including a significant number of small businesses and municipalities to create customized training to develop the workforce skills their employees need.
View More

Collin College

Collin College, the only public college based in Collin county, offers more than 100 degrees and certificates in a wide range of disciplines including new Accredited to award baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees and certificates, they serve 59,000 credit and continuing education students annually across 11 centers or campuses.
View More
Image

Rowlett's location offers access to a 1.8 million qualified workforce within a 30-mile radius and an excellent location for business and industry. We are excited about the trends in training and education of our existing and future workforce pipeline for Rowlett and the Dallas Fort Worth region. The information gleaned from our education and technical training partners indicates many positive trends such as an increase in women in the workforce and in technical trades; emphasis on soft skills, diversity and equity training; increased junior and senior high school students utilizing career training programs; adult students returning for upskilling and reskilling training; and significant growth in health, tech and manufacturing sectors.

###

Additional summary of trends:

In visiting with these four education and training organizations, we identified the following key trends.

  • Shift to virtual learning and a hybrid combination of virtual and in person classes.
  • Shortages and increased demand for workforce and expanded training programs in health, tech, IT, cybersecurity, engineering, HVAC, construction management, manufacturing, maintenance, robotics, mechatronics, electrical, programmable controllers, motors, transportation and construction management.
  • Increase in OSHA classes, lean manufacturing, supervision, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, safety, Excel, soft skills, diversity and equity training.
  • Increase in gender diversity, the percentage of women in all training and education programs, and women crossing over into mechanical related sectors.
  • Increased number of junior and senior high school students taking dual credit classes.
  • Adult students returning for upskilling and reskilling training.
  • Aging population is ready to retire. However, the pipeline of trained, younger workers is not adequate to fill those gaps.
  • Employees are quick to move to another company for a fractional increase in pay.