Marble Falls EDC commits money to help staff Workforce Network
The Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. entered a three-year funding commitment with Workforce Network Inc. during the EDC’s regular meeting Wednesday, Jan. 5. Beginning this fiscal year, the EDC will provide the nonprofit with $20,000 a year for three years to use toward growing staffing needs.
Workforce Network Inc. is a nonprofit workforce intermediary serving communities in Burnet and Llano counties. The organization identifies the needs of the local workforce and helps create opportunities for residents through collaboration with area stakeholders.
Recent efforts include organizing plumbing, electrician, and certified medical assistant training. It also helped launch the Rural Healthcare Initiative to train people for medical careers.
Workforce Network has four people on staff, including two part-time employees. Currently, CEO and President Fay Crider and Workforce Director of Stakeholder Relations Gail Davalos work on a mostly volunteer basis.
“We are not going to be able to replace ourselves (in the future) unless we can pay someone, so we are slowly working up to the point that we can (replace ourselves),” Crider explained during the EDC meeting.
Operation funds for the organization come from contributions by entities such as the city of Horseshoe Bay, Llano County, and several local EDCs. The $20,000 from the Marble Falls EDC will go toward Workforce Network’s staffing costs, which are anticipated to be $70,500 for the 2022 fiscal year.
“There is no way on earth that (the Marble Falls EDC staff) could replicate what Workforce Network and their team is doing for advancing workforce development efforts,” said EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher. “This comes with my overwhelmingly positive recommendation.”
The Marble Falls EDC has budgeted $80,000 of its annual funding toward assisting in local workforce development, with a large portion being used as match funds for the High Demand Job Training Grant program, a partnership with Workforce Network, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, and the Texas Workforce Commission. The additional $20,000 will bring the total workforce development budget to $100,000.
original article link: https://www.dailytrib.com/2022/01/06/marble-falls-edc-commits-money-to-help-staff-workforce-network/
