Austin Community College District’s (ACC) partnership with Workforce Solutions Capital Area (WFS) is expanding.

WFS career counselors now have a permanent home at ACC’s Northridge Campus. The move is part of a new co-location formed in order to connect students more seamlessly to city and county funding for workforce training.

At the onset of the pandemic, Workforce Solutions Capital Area launched the RE:WorkNOW program, a city- and county-backed rapid retraining and reskilling initiative to help Travis County residents connect to free, rapid, and safe training at ACC, among other local providers. The program’s goal was to help the thousands of Austinites who have lost jobs amid the pandemic train for and start new careers.

Data shows that ACC students who receive funding for career training through community-based partners such as Workforce Solutions Capital Area are 1.7 times more likely to complete their education faster than those who do not receive support.

The new partnership enhances RE:WorkNOW’s mission and improves continuing education outcomes by making it easier for Austinites to access free training directly on campus.

“We are thankful to ACC and their shared commitment to helping students receive the continuing education they need to land in-demand jobs in our local workforce,” says Tamara Atkinson, chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions Capital Area. “This partnership further supports our Hire Local plan by increasing the skills of our community, strengthening the talent pool, and paving the way to higher earnings.”

The partnership allows students to have direct access to funding and training for high-skilled and high-paying careers. In-demand certifications that will be immediately available at ACC Northridge include the following: 

  • Software Developer Bootcamp
  • Web Development
  • Accounting/Bookkeeping
  • PC Technician 

As the partnership grows, more certifications will be added, with the goal to co-locate continuing education staff at additional ACC campuses.

“ACC has been a proud training provider for many years, but our students will now reap the most benefits possible with Workforce Solutions Capital Area staff onsite to help connect them to community funding to support their career goals,” says David Borden, Career ACCelerator at ACC director. “I encourage anyone interested in workforce training, whether a current ACC student or not, to make an appointment with a career counselor at the Northridge Campus to see how we can support you.”

Travis County residents are eligible for no-cost continuing education training if they are 18 years old, live in Austin-Travis County, are authorized to work in the U.S., and have been impacted by COVID-19. 

To apply or learn more about these opportunities, visit wfscapitalarea.com/acc.