Travis County Commissioners Court
July 26, 2005
Item 4
That is item number 4 which is consider and take appropriate action on staff recommendations regarding Travis County's participation in employment connections, a pilot project through a partnership between good will industries and alchemy training systems.
>> good afternoon, judge, Commissioners. This project, just for a little background, is in connection with our efforts over the last couple of years to make a hard-line connection between our residents who are served through our emergency assistance programs and workforce training and activity in the community. And as you know, over the last year we've had a partnership with good will where we've had good will staff actually available in two of our busiest locations to connect residents who need employment assistance with good will's programs. This is an outgrowth of that in that we have a rapid employment model that we would like to pilot which would allow these individuals to move into what we would describe as entry-level positions to help to learn what -- I think the buzz word now is soft skills. You know, coming to work on time, being dressed appropriately, interacting in the workplace in a positive way. And it's very necessary for folks who have been out of the workplace for a long period of time. And it also helps them to move toward making decisions about more significant either education or training or skills or just what kinds of employment they might want to graduate into. So I request today and I have katy from good will, and this morning rick from alchemy was with us, but he was not able to stay this afternoon. Our request has a two-fold purpose. The primary request is that the court approve our participation with other departments so that we might be able to go in and do an in-service with the departments and talk to them about how this project could benefit them in filling some of their entry-level positions. The other purpose of our request today would be for the county to set an example for our business community so that we would have access to more positions to be able to work with other employers who might have similar positions that we could access.
>> I asked this to be pulled because it was going to go on consent this morning and of course I needed some specifics because since it is a pilot project, I wanted to make sure that the vacancies that we have available, entry level or whatever, that we make that type of connect that these vacancies can be filled. Every once in a while we see going to the next you would have vacancies that departments do not fill, and i've always been, to the best of my abilities why they haven't been filled and all these other things creeping in because we don't fill these vacancies. My concern was making sure there is the proper connect, and not only dealing with Travis County as far as our departments, but I wanted to make sure that good will and alchemy also insert itself to other governmental entities went through the same practices. I’m trying to flesh everything out to make sure -- this will not cost the county anything,; is that correct?
>> this pilot will not cost the county anything. We will be targeting positions already established and posted or within the departments that are already funded. The department does have a fleshed out request coming forward in the '06 budget process that will be a continuation of this project jet. But to start the pilot there will be no fiscal required.
>> to start it. I guess when we get to '06 we'll look at that because it's been a real -- a real legitimate concern of how we can have vacancies here in Travis County and people are begging me, Commissioner, look, I need a job. And I hear that all the time. So if this is something that can help us facilitate that particular request from the community, I’m all for it. And then i'd like to know if there is a cost to help fill these vacancies out, I kind of want to know what that's going to be. But I don't have any problem supporting this and i'd like to move approval of it, however, I’m still concerned as far as anybody else participating in this governmental entity other than Travis County. And I don't know that the answer is there at this point.
>> the city of Austin and workforce are funded partners at this moment, meaning they are actually providing fund to go the project. And the funding that hhs is putting forward is for the actual training component and we'll be talking to the court about that in more detail.
>> related work source and stuff like that.
>> absolutely. But we hope to do an in-service with all the departments that would have positions that we would be looking at and share with them the advantages of having an employee who has the kind of case management support that these employees -- potential employees would have.
>> when you come up in '06 during the budget process, if you can have any other additional data, if there is a track record somewhere that demonstrates that this model would have success if somebody else is doing it right now currently. What is the success of it. If somebody is doing it, what's the numbers.
>> yes, sir, we can definitely do that.
>> i'd like to move approval of it.
>> second.
>> the motion is to extend cooperation and good will to goodwill but not money, right?
>> yes, sir.
>> discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you.
>> thank you all.
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Last Modified:
Wednesday, July 27, 2005 7:49 AM