Resource Library
Past Conference Presentations
TAWB Quarterly Meeting - November 28 & 29, 2023
Houston, Texas
TAWB Quarterly Meeting - August 1 & 2, 2023Arlington, Texas
TAWB Executive Directors Council Annual Retreat - August 3, 2023
Advocacy
Working with Legislators: An Advocacy Briefing Guide for Board Members
Learn how to advocate for issues that impact your nonprofit’s work. From how to approach legislators to rules and regulations concerning advocacy, our briefing guide contains helpful information to help you advocate effectively.
NAWB 2023 Legislative Priorities
With the help of our members, NAWB is proud to release our 2023 Legislative Priorities, which focus on leveraging WDBs’ positions as the convenors, collaborators, and navigators of the workforce ecosystem to better align federal workforce programs.
House Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Letter
TAWB was one of more than 20 state workforce associations and other workforce organizations to sign on to a letter provided to the US House Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this month. The Subcommittee is taking written testimony on its FY24 priorities.
National Association of Workforce Board Workforce Advocacy Toolkit
Utilize NAWB's Workforce Advocacy Toolkit to assist in your advocacy efforts as NAWB continues to champion investments in our nation’s workforce.
BLU Federal Legislative Agenda for Congress
A new 2022 Business Leaders United (BLU) Federal Legislative Agenda for Congress that continues decade long advocacy efforts to promote solutions that help build a skilled workforce that businesses need to grow and thrive.
Stand for Your Mission – Advocacy
Initiated by BoardSource — together with the Alliance for Justice, the Campion Foundation, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the National Council of Nonprofits — the Stand for Your Mission campaign seeks to unleash the full potential of the nonprofit sector to create positive impact by engaging board leaders more directly in the advocacy work of their organizations.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy helps nonprofits advance their mission, increase their funding sources, and solve community and societal problems. Many nonprofit organizations’ missions address the needs, misfortunes, and inadequacies of individuals and communities, and even help individuals and communities aspire and dream for a better quality of life.
Board Governance
Board Meeting Effectiveness Assessment
All boards should evaluate the effectiveness of their meetings. Ask your members to complete this downloadable survey after each meeting and then use the results to determine where you might make improvements.
Nonprofit Board Committee Members: Who Should Serve on Which Committee?
Determining which board members should serve on which committees requires some strategy. You may consider several factors, including experience and expertise, the ability to think critically and independently, and ensuring diverse representation.
A Guide to Recruiting Board Members
Building a board is not just about recruiting one great individual, but about finding leaders who have skill sets and perspectives that align with your organization’s values, strategies, goals, and needs. It’s important the board understands and represents its community in the present, but also in the future.
Conflict of Interest for Nonprofits
Nonprofit boards must understand conflicts of interest and how to address them. Educating board members and having policies and procedures in place are the beginning steps in eliminating bias from decision-making.
A Nonprofit Board’s Dynamics and Processes — FAQs
Are you interested in becoming a more accountable, efficient, and productive board of directors? Dive into the many questions that leaders have shared with BoardSource over the last 30 years and get the answers that our experts have supplied to learn about board dynamics and processes.
Skill Sets of Exceptional Partners
Collaboration takes a variety of skills to ensure success. Whether it’s between your peers, other nonprofits, or community groups, meaningful partnerships always begin with individual, interpersonal, and group skills. Discover the different attributes, processes, and knowledge to strive for with this downloadable infographic.
Mastering Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
Strategic planning and vision-casting for years ahead can seem daunting, especially if you haven’t had much experience developing a strategic plan before, but Nonprofit Megaphone has you covered — from the basics on building a foundation to industry-leading examples, explore the ins-and-outs of how to strategically plan for the future.
Integrity Is Foundational to Leadership
Leading with integrity means keeping your word, following your values in public but also when no one is watching, and letting others know your intentions so they can hold you accountable, writes coach, educator and author McKinlee Covey.
Taking action on board diversity: 5 questions to get you started
At the most fundamental level, who serves on a board impacts how it functions and the decisions it makes. While board composition is not one-size-fits all, a board that is homogeneous in any way risks having blind spots that negatively impact its ability to make the best decisions and plans for the organization.
Reimagining Boards for High Impact - An Introduction and Invitation
Extensive research and experience have shown that addressing shared goals at a network level and cultivating trust-based relationships offer the clearest path toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of impact. Over a dozen nonprofit leaders share their stories, bringing to life the best practices of both purpose-driven board leadership and network leadership.
Eight Ways to Increase Your Board’s Ability to Work as a Team
Teamwork, especially in nonprofit leadership, is key to remaining mission-minded and focused on the strategic plan. Explore this downloadable, eight-step guide to learn how to build a strong, unified, and communicative board.
Handling Conflict During Board Meetings
Interpersonal relationships play a large role in a nonprofit’s day-to-day success, so facilitating healthy communication practices and managing conflict well is important for board leadership. Use these tips for conflict resolution to learn how to handle conflict well and strengthen your team.
Five Barriers to Advancing Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Within Boards
These 5 barriers call out areas of opportunities for boards to reflect upon and make progress towards. Inside the full 7-page resource you will find 10 opportunities centered around ways boards can prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, not only on the board level, but also on the individual level.
Ensure You Know Your Roles and Responsibilities
Determine if you check all the boxes when it comes to handling your obligations.
Prioritizing Diversity in the Boardroom
While nonprofits are moving in the right direction in many ways, one of the areas that needs to be addressed continually is board diversity. Your board will benefit greatly by including individuals of different backgrounds. Start prioritizing diversity in the boardroom and see the positive results.
Career Pathways
ACT WorkKeys Skills-Based Career Navigation Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to empower educators, workforce professionals, and organizations to help individuals understand their skills, explore career options, and plan a successful career path using their WorkKeys Assessments results.
Missed Opportunities: Credential Shortages in Programs Aligned with High-Paying Middle-skills Jobs in 55 US Metro Areas
Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce report examines the production of middle-skills credentials that prepare workers for high-paying occupations nationwide and in metro areas with populations exceeding 1 million. It compares current credential production with the projected number of job openings for workers holding these credentials through 2032.
State Financial Aid for Non-Degree Credential Programs and Pathways: Insights and Considerations
In recent years, non-degree credentials (NDCs) have gained traction as a viable pathway for people seeking to enhance their skills and improve their job prospects in an affordable, flexible, and timely way. However, while these programs are relatively more affordable than degree programs, many students and workers still face financial barriers to cover associated costs—and few have access to financial aid programs that work for them.
Offer Workforce Development Programs to Attract Gen Z to Your Association & Industry
Recent trends indicate a shift as more young individuals skip traditional degree paths, opting instead for immediate employment in available roles. Recognizing this, associations can capture Gen Z's attention by offering educational programs that illuminate career opportunities within their industries and prepare them for meaningful roles, thus ensuring a future of skilled workers.
If Not Now, When? The Urgent Need for an All-One-System Approach to Youth Policy
If Not Now, When? The Urgent Need for an All-One-System Approach to Youth Policy makes the case that the United States’ disjointed approach to youth policy has failed young people. In the current fragmented system, pre-K–12, postsecondary education, and the workforce operate in silos that allow many young people to fall through the cracks. In its place, the country needs an all-one-system approach that supports youth on their journey through education and training and into careers.
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Staffing Outside the Box: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages
ACTE has released a new resource, Staffing Outside the Box: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages. This publication, sponsored by eDynamic Learning, explores considerations and provide examples for addressing CTE teacher shortages in the short and medium term through such methods as bringing industry experts into the classroom, sharing faculty across subject areas and institutions, and providing virtual learning opportunities.
New Resource: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages
ACTE is releasing a new resource, Staffing Outside the Box: Strategies for Addressing CTE Teacher Shortages.
Research Roundup: CTE Student Impacts, Artificial Intelligence and Sector-based Training Programs
A recently published report by the CTE Research Network explored the causal effects of CTE on student outcomes through a systematic review of literature spanning the past 20 years. The report concluded that CTE has a positive impact on student outcomes such as academic achievement, high school completion, employability skills and college readiness in comparison to those who did not take any CTE courses.
State Policies Impacting CTE: 2023 Year in Review
ACTE and Advance CTE have released the 11th annual State Policies Impacting CTE: Year in Review report, marking the start of a second decade of insights into CTE policy trends at the state and national levels.
ACT Workforce Solutions
From the ACT® WorkKeys® Assessments and Curriculum, to the National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC®), ACT offers leading workforce development solutions for businesses and communities.
Tools to Assess and Teach Soft Skills
TAWB Webinar provided by The Conover Company on December 9 addressing the need to assess and teach soft skills, how to give participants an opportunity to earn a soft skills credential, and the top soft skills employers are looking for.
The Role of Community and Technical Colleges in Workforce Education
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate changes in the labor market, community and technical colleges are increasingly seen as essential institutions to provide workforce education. While two-year institutions have the reach, scale and infrastructure to deliver the upskilling that will be needed in years ahead, policymakers are challenged with a lack of data on workforce education. To address this information gap, Opportunity America, in collaboration with the Lumina Foundation and Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, recently published a report on noncredit and credit workforce education programs using survey responses from more than 600 public two-year institutions.
Child Care
How to Keep Employees Productive: Support Caregivers
Three-quarters of US employees are balancing caregiving with their careers. If companies could prevent five of them from quitting, they could save $200,000. Joseph Fuller offers a seven-point plan for supporting the sandwich generation and beyond.
Economic Development
From Cities to Suburbs: The Economic Developers’ Guide to Attracting & Retaining Millennial Talent
A region's ability to cultivate a millennial-friendly environment and provide the career growth, flexibility, and sense of purpose this generation desires can be a key competitive advantage in attracting investment and driving long-term prosperity.
How Economic Developers Can Support Their Local Workforce
Economic development is intrinsically linked to the strength and adaptability of the local workforce. As economies evolve, it becomes crucial for economic developers to implement strategies that not only address current labor market needs but also anticipate future demands.
WHAT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In celebration of Economic Development Week, we're making some of our member-only content available to everyone! Dive into our latest publication, “What is Economic Development is and Why It is Important."
Community Champions: Economic Developers' Role in Alleviating Childcare Shortages
"Community Champions: Economic Developers' Role in Alleviating Childcare Shortages" is an urgent call to action and a comprehensive guide in the midst of a growing childcare crisis that impacts families, economies, and communities across the United States. This crucial resource delves deeply into childcare challenges and offers innovative, practical solutions.
Small Towns, Big Opportunities: Many Workers in Rural Areas Have Good Jobs, but These Areas Need Greater Investment in Education, Training, and Career Counseling
This report counters to some degree the popular narrative that rural America has been “left behind.” The report finds that the rural workforce makes up 13 percent of the total 25-to-64-year-old working population in the US and holds 12 percent, or a roughly proportionate share, of the country’s good jobs. It also provides recommendations to mitigate the region’s high labor-force non-participation rate (26 percent), low bachelor’s degree attainment rate (25 percent), and overall population decline.
Economic Competitiveness One-pager
Life After COVID 19: Technologies, Trends, and Practices to Ponder in the Post-pandemic Economy
Presentation by Richard Froeschle, Senior Economist at the Texas State Technical College System, at the TAWB 4th Quarter meetings on November 17, 2021.
Education
Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education Public Hearing: 09-24-2024
A public hearing September 24 of the Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education included discussion of the the implementation of the new community college funding model as recommended by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance and whether the rulemaking process is being successfully completed to focus on student outcomes and enhancing the role of public junior colleges in workforce training and preparation.
Texas Education Agency 2023 Annual Report
The Texas Talent Trajectory (T3)
This report, formerly known as the 8th Grade Cohort Longitudinal Report, allows users to filter data by Texas regions, counties, school districts, campuses, and student characteristics, such as family economic status, ethnicity, and gender.
Are community college students prepared for tomorrow’s labor market?
Community colleges have been tasked with a major responsibility—to train and support socioeconomic mobility and serve their local communities—without sufficient funding to back it up. This study takes a deeper look at the relationship between community college programs and employment needs to better understand how well these institutions prepare students for in-demand occupations.
Developing a Thriving Teacher Workforce in Texas: Teacher Vacancy Task Force Final Report, February 2023
The Teacher Vacancy Task Force (TVTF) was established in March 2022 by Governor Abbott to examine teacher retention and recruitment challenges across Texas. Through examining research and evidence, considering the perspectives of educators across the state, and continuous stakeholder input, the TVTF developed recommendations focused on support for teachers in the key areas of teacher compensation, training and support, and working conditions.
The State of Readiness: Are Texas Students Prepared for Life After High School?
The George W. Bush Institute and Texas 2036’s new report details how Texas students do not have the knowledge and skills to succeed as they move on to the next grade level, much less in the workforce.
The Texas School Readiness Dashboard
The new Texas School Readiness Dashboard by Texans Care for Children highlights where children are struggling most and provides recommendations for what policymakers can do.
Making the Connection: Aligning Advising to Improve Postsecondary Access and Success
Education Strategy Group recently released a new microsite – Making the Connection: Aligning Advising to Improve Postsecondary Access and Success – that makes the case for prioritizing alignment of advising across K-12 and postsecondary education. It shares action steps and resources for different stakeholders, including secondary education, postsecondary education, state government, federal government, nonprofits and college access organizations, and philanthropies.
50-State Comparison: Dual/Concurrent Enrollment Policies
Recently, Education Commission of the States compiled dual enrollment policies across all 50 states to create a comprehensive resource that lets users explore and compare states’ policies. Included in the resource is information on student access, eligibility requirements, course offerings, funding and program quality.
Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative Final Report 2020
Linking Education and Workforce: Spurring Economic Growth Across Texas.
The Workforce in Texas: Aligning Education to Meet the Needs of Texas Employers
2014 TAWB Education Paper.
Labor Market Information
Understanding America’s Labor Shortage: The Most Impacted Industries
The U.S. Chamber is closely monitoring trends in job openings, labor force participation, and quit rates affecting industries nationwide. Continue reading to explore an analysis of the industries most significantly affected by these trends.
Texas Labor Market Review
Monthly newsletter produced by TWC Labor Market and Career Information Department covering issues relating to the Texas economy.
Veterans
Veterans' Guide to Vocational Schools and Apprenticeship Programs
Breakdown of the different benefits available to veterans for non-traditional postsecondary education and review other important details such as eligibility, costs, and making the transition from soldier to working civilian.
Work Based Learning
INVESTING IN WORK-BASED LEARNING PAYS OFF FOR EMPLOYERS
The Texas Business Leadership Council's Q2 “Public Policy for a More Globally Competitive Texas" focuses on durable skills and work-place learning; key elements to increasing Texas’ skilled workforce.
Apprenticeship Resources by State
This guide will cover apprenticeship basics and walk you through the need-to-know information on this popular alternative career approach.
Apprentices “Earn While They Learn” to Build a Clean Energy Future
Today, apprentices continue to make critical contributions to our country’s economy, infrastructure, and industry. While apprenticeship thrive across a range of industries, the construction sector has particularly benefited from this training model, which has maintained a skilled and trained workforce to keep up with changing industry demands. Now, with the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), apprentices are assured a vital role in supporting the clean energy transition.
The Options Multiplier: Decoding the CareerWise Youth Apprentice Journey
New research from the Project on Workforce draws on a novel dataset from CareerWise Colorado to explore the key drivers of retention and completion for youth apprentices.
States Bolster Transportation Workforce Through Apprenticeship Programs
The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices is working with four states – Connecticut, Idaho, Oregon and North Carolina – to utilize IIJA funds to scale pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.
WE CAN TX: Workforce and Education Community College Apprenticeship Network in Texas
WE CAN TX is a peer-learning network that brings together leaders from across the state to support building education-to-workforce pathways that lead Texans to livable-wage jobs. Leaders from community colleges and workforce organizations partner to develop and expand innovative, modern work-based learning experiences and academic structures (e.g. internships and youth apprenticeships) that address employer needs in high-demand careers.
TXWORKS Internship Program
TXWORKS is an internship program that works with Texas undergraduate college students and Texas Employers to develop and provide paid internship opportunities. These internships are funded in part by the State of Texas. Students employed through the program attend public or private higher education institutions in Texas while exploring career options, developing, and improving career readiness, and strengthening workforce skills.
Research Roundup: Work-based Learning
State Work-based Learning Toolkits: State work-based learning (WBL) toolkits provide guidance to educators, administrators and other career development professionals about effective WBL program implementation in that state.
Women and Parents in the Texas Workforce: Building a Path to Apprenticeship
A robust future for the state’s workforce demands a more robust and equitable approach to work-based learning initiatives.
Promising Approaches for Connecting Opportunity Youth to Registered Apprenticeships
JFF’s new online resource outlines effective approaches to designing and running apprenticeship programs for opportunity youth—people ages 16 to 24 who aren’t in school and aren’t working.
Improving Apprenticeship Outcomes Through Skills Alignment: A Toolkit for Apprenticeship Quality
Discover strategies for revitalizing apprenticeships and meeting expectations for completion rates and alignment to in-demand skills
Workforce Policy/Operations
TWC Joint Budget Hearing: 09-23-2024
As reported in the Texas Workforce Commission September 27, 2024 Austin Board Update, the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the Office of the Governor (OOG), House Appropriations committee staff, and Senate Finance committee staff, conducted a hearing September 23 on TWC's Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR).
Release the untapped potential of your female leaders
Chances are good that you don't need to bring in outside talent to spark better productivity and ideas at work; chances are you already have such employees, and they're women whose abilities have yet to be noticed or tapped, writes leadership coach Joel Garfinkle. To become more competitive and promote from within, look to women by engaging, empowering and leveraging, Garfinkle explains.
Accelerating Alignment: Texas Workforce System Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2024–2031
Approved by Governor Abbott, Accelerating Alignment: Texas Workforce System Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2024–2031 was created using the systems approach to workforce planning. The plan is intended to guide system partners in implementing workforce programs, services, and initiatives designed to achieve the strategies, system objectives, and goals that are outlined in the plan.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the One-Stop Delivery System
Congressional Research Service Report updated September 26, 2022.
Workforce and Labor Policy: Resources for Congressional Staff
This report serves as a starting point for congressional staff assigned to cover issues related to federal workforce and labor programs and policies. The report outlines federal workforce and labor programs and benefits, congressional committees of jurisdiction, statistical sources, laws, regulations, and other sources of data.
Texas Workforce Commission Annual Report 2021
Summary of TWC and Texas Workforce Solutions achievements and financial status in the previous year.
Evaluation 2022: Accomplishments and Outcomes of the Texas Workforce System
This report from the Texas Workforce Investment Council is the seventh annual evaluation report for The Texas Workforce System Strategic Plan FY 2016–FY 2023. The focal point is a balanced scorecard that presents outcome and trend data for system performance.
Texas Workforce Investment Council Annual Report
The Council’s annual report summarizes the activities and products of the Council during the previous fiscal year.
Workforce Innovation and Training
States on the Leading Edge of Non-Degree Credential Data Ecosystem Development
States have invested significantly in non-degree credentials (NDCs) to meet their growing needs for a diverse and skilled workforce. Good data on NDCs ensure that public investments help workers, students, businesses, and policymakers meet workforce goals.
Upskilling and Reskilling: The Need for Continuous Workforce Development
In today's ever-evolving job market, staying ahead means continuously evolving your community's skills. Metrix Learning's latest whitepaper, "Upskilling and Reskilling: The Need for Continuous Workforce Development," delves into how workforce boards can spearhead these efforts to stay ahead.
Charting a Course to Quality: A Navigator’s Handbook to a Robust Non-Degree Credential Data Ecosystem
The National Skills Coalition has announced the release of Charting a Course to Quality: A Navigator’s Handbook to a Robust Non-Degree Credential Data Ecosystem: a comprehensive handbook designed to guide states in developing robust data systems for evaluating non-degree credential programs.
How mentoring programs help manufacturers build a future workforce
Companies like Fastenal and TE Connectivity have launched successful mentorship and training options for current employees and emerging leaders.
How Economic Shifts And Sustainability Needs Are Redefining Jobs
The future of work is shaped by rapid technological advancements, changing economic landscapes and the growing need for sustainability—consequently, strong leadership and innovative research are essential to navigate the complexities of the modern labor market. Notably, approaches on both sides of the Atlantic differ in tackling these challenges
Defining the skills citizens will need in the future world of work
To future-proof citizens’ ability to work, they will require new skills—but which ones? A survey of 18,000 people in 15 countries suggests those that governments may wish to prioritize.
Texas Digital Divide Fact Sheet
The National Skills Coalition recently released individual state fact sheets that complement the Closing the Digital Divide report.
Digital Credentials and Today's Workforce
Pat Leonard, vice president at Pearson (formerly Credly), discusses the importance of learners being able to tout their accomplishments through digital badging, including earning the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC®). Watch as Pat discusses the importance of skill building for workforce resilience and ways for job seekers of all ages to easily showcase their skills to employers.
Closing the Digital Skill Divide
The National Skills Coalition, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, has released Closing the Digital Skill Divide - a real-time snapshot of demand for digital skills in the U.S. labor market.
CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP: Employer perspectives on educating the post-pandemic workforce
As organizations adapt to a post-pandemic world,many stumble on the skills gap — a significant disparity between the skills needed to achieve their goals and their workforce’s capabilities. Wiley Inc. surveyed 600 human resources professionals to capture insights for addressing this challenge.
Recruiting and retaining the best: Transit workforce best practices
Transit agencies now have the federal funding needed to develop a world-class transit workforce, but pulling it off is another question. We’ve compiled strategies for success from agencies that have implemented real solutions to empower their operator and maintenance workforce.
Department of Labor Grants
The U.S. Department of Labor releases a mapping tool to help find active grants across the U.S.
Tips for Training your Workforce Remotely
The pandemic changed how we work, with more employees working from home than ever before. But remote workers bring on some new and different challenges for employers that weren’t there before the pandemic. This resource from HotDog.com provides guidance on the best ways to train your workforce remotely.
Youth Services
Supporting Youth Economic Mobility through Employment-Focused Strategies
WorkRise’s new landscape research report on youth economic mobility reviews the evidence of programs and practices that help young workers succeed and advance in the labor market. The report is accompanied by a summary of the findings, which also explores where further research could inform more effective programs, approaches, and policies to improve employment prospects for young people now, over the next several years, and in the coming decades.
Elevating Youth Worker Voice
This toolkit guides youth-serving organizations on how to listen to and support youth voice within their own organizations, build youth skills to advocate for themselves at work, encourage employer partners to make space for youth voice, and elevate youth worker voice in community and policy conversations.
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