2018 Impact Report

IMPACT REPORT
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas
2018
Proudly serving the counties of Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan

Here’s our
story

Vision
A highly valued workforce system that
meets the economic demands of the Heart
of Texas communities.
Mission
To provide a well-trained workforce for
employers in order to ensure the economic
growth of the region.

TABLE
OF CONTENTS
01
Vision and Mission
VETERANS
6
EMPLOYERS
8
02
Letter from the
Board Chair & the
Executive Director
04
Awards of Excellence
08
Providing Effective
Employer Services
1
E
I
03
Heart of Texas
Workforce Development
Board, Inc.
06
Serving Veterans
10
Equipping Job Seekers
for the Future
1
I
Q

JOB SEEKERS
10
YOUTH
12
CHILD CARE
14
2
xpanding the YES!
nitiative
16
Employer Honored at
State Conference
20
Texas Talent Connection
4
ncreasing the Supply of
uality Child Care
18
Workforce Board Recognized
at State Conference
21
Financial Data

Letter
from the Board Chair & the Executive Director
Dear Colleagues and Friends:
“Workforce Solutions” are two words that not only encompass our name but is at the heart of what we do. We
take pride in our work to help provide solutions for employers and job seekers. It is our pleasure to present to
you the Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas 2018 Impact Report which highlights our accomplishments
and dedication to providing outstanding service to our customers.
This year, we served 8,428 job seekers in their search for employment and in career transitions. We are ranked
#1 in the state among workforce development boards for helping workers, who have lost their jobs through no
fault of their own, to gain employment.
During the past year, we served 1,767 employers and helped to secure $1.1 million in skills upgrade training
dollars for employers. We assisted 177 youth with job readiness skills and helped them to complete a GED or
continue to pursue a post-secondary credential. We provided child care to 3,454 children and provided training
to 877 teachers and administrators.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for their continued support and are honored to
partner with chambers of commerce, economic development corporations, post-secondary institutions, independent
school districts, and other agencies who help fulfill our mission.
Throughout the year, our Chief Elected Officials, Board of Directors and Committee members have contributed
their guidance and counsel and we are grateful for the work they do.
We look forward to the year ahead with great expectations as we continue to provide solutions for all of our
customers. As always, thank you for your continued confidence in Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas.
Sincerely,
Norman Conner
Board Chair
Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Inc.
Anthony Billings
Executive Director
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas
2 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Inc.
Serving the counties of Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone & McLennan
Chief Elected Officials
Judge Justin Lewis
Lead Chief Elected Official
Hill County
Judge Don Pool
Bosque County
Judge Jay Elliott
Falls County
Judge Linda Grant
Freestone County
Judge Richard Duncan
Limestone County
Judge Scott Felton
McLennan County
Mayor Kyle Deaver
City of Waco
Board of Directors
Norman Conner
Board Chair
McLennan County
Paige Key
Chair Elect
Bosque County
Alvin Pollard, Sr.
Secretary/Parliamentarian
McLennan County
Shirley Crockett
Treasurer
McLennan County
Keith Stanford
At-Large Member
All Counties
Diane Cowan
Oversight Committee Chair
McLennan County
Teodoro (Ted) Taveras
Past Chair
Limestone County
Linda Calhoun
Bosque County
Howard Childs
McLennan County
Clyff Curry
All Counties
Warren Davis
Freestone County
Richard (Ricky) Edison
McLennan County
David Fowler
Freestone County
Laura Harborth
Hill County
Thomas Hervey
McLennan County
Robert Humphrey
McLennan County
Bill Hunter
McLennan County
Pam McPeak
McLennan County
Marc Moore
McLennan County
Roy Nash
McLennan County
Willis Reese
Falls County
Celia Stem
Falls County
Kathleen (Kathy) Stubbs
Limestone County
Casey Wade
All Counties
Sandra Whitlatch
McLennan County
2018 IMPACT REPORT
3

HEART OF TEXAS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Awards of Excellence
Honoring Businesses & Individuals
Recognizing the exceptional commitment, hard
work and dedication of businesses and individuals
who add value to our region is important to
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas.
We honor those that have both contributed and
benefited from the services provided by
our organization.
During the 20th Annual Awards of Excellence
Banquet, held on January 18, 2018, Workforce
Solutions for the Heart of Texas honored
exceptional businesses and individuals in the
Heart of Texas region who supported economic
growth and collaborated with Workforce Solutions
to benefit our workforce region.
Among the award recipients honored were:
Jimmy Dorrell, Co-Founder & President of
Mission Waco Mission World who received the
Honorable Elenor Holmes Service to Community
Award; the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce who received the Partner of the
Year Award; Tractor Supply Company who
received the Employer of the Year Award;
and Country Child Care who received the
Outstanding Child Care Provider Award.
Jimmy Dorrell,
Honorable Elenor Holmes
Service to Community
Award recipient
4 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Norman Conner,
Workforce Board Chair
Pictured Right: Outstanding Child
Care Provider Award, Country
Child Care, Valerie Caswell
Pictured Right: Employer of
the Year Award, Tractor Supply
Company, Ashley Willis with
Norman Conner, Workforce
Board Chair
Pictured Bottom Right:
Partner of the Year Award,
Hispanic Cen-Tex Chamber of
Commerce: Top Row:
Linda Rubio Frausto, John
Montez, Noey Meza; Seated
Bottom Row: Joe Rodriguez,
Alice Rodriguez,
Jonathan Olvera
2018 IMPACT REPORT
5

WORKFORCE SERVICES IMPACT
Serving Veterans
Directly Connecting to Hiring Employers
Workforce Solutions is dedicated to providing priority
service to our Veterans and to directly connecting them to
hiring employers. This year, Workforce Solutions served
757 veterans, of which 59 were disabled veterans.
Each year, we partner with agencies to host veteran job
fairs that give veterans and their spouses the opportunity
to directly connect with hiring employers.
In May 2018, the McLennan County Veterans Job Fair was
held in partnership with the Texas Veterans Commission and
the McLennan County Veterans Service Office. The job fair
connected veterans to 30 hiring employers.
In November, the annual Hiring Red, White & You! Veterans
Job Fair was held in partnership with the Texas Workforce
Commission, the Texas Medical Center, and the Texas
Veterans Commission. This job fair connected veterans to
42 hiring employers.
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas aided veterans to
achieve median earnings of $6,040 per quarter and helped
65% to successfully retain employment.
757
Total Veterans Served
6 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

65%
of Veterans Successfully
Retained Employment
$6,040
Veteran Median Earnings
per Quarter
59
Disabled Veterans Served
2018 IMPACT REPORT
7

WORKFORCE SERVICES IMPACT
Providing Effective Employer Services
That Build an Employer’s Workforce
Providing effective solutions that help to build an employer’s
workforce is critical to the success of an employer and to the
growth of the Heart of Texas region.
This year, through our Business Solutions services, we provided
services to 1,767 employers. These services were essential to
helping employers find, retain and train a quality workforce.
Workforce Solutions provided additional employer services
that included:
• Hosting 368 customized job fairs and hiring events
that connected employers to job seekers
• Providing Rapid Response services for 22 employers
to assist 981 affected workers transition into
the future
• Serving as Testing Proctor for 651 specialized testing
and assessments of job candidates for employers
Ranked
4 th
For Providing Services
to Employers
$1.1 M
Skills Upgrade Training Dollars
secured for Employers
In addition, Workforce Solutions helped to secure $1.1 million
from the Texas Workforce Commission’s Skills Development
Fund to help employers to provide skills upgrade training for
new and incumbent workers.
As a result of our business solutions efforts, Workforce
Solutions for the Heart of Texas was ranked fourth in the
state among all workforce development boards for providing
services to employers.
651
Tests Proctored to help
Employers find the
Right Candidate
8 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

1,767
Total Employers Served
2018 IMPACT REPORT
9

WORKFORCE SERVICES IMPACT
Equipping Job Seekers for the Future
Through Employment and Training
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas equips job
seekers for future workforce success by providing services
that help them to enter the workforce and to successfully
make career transitions.
This year, Workforce Solutions provided services to 8,428 job
seekers of which 7,935 received employment services.
In addition, we also provided services to:
• 3,173 Unemployment Insurance Claimants
• 757 Veterans
• 567 Welfare Recipients
• 395 Ex-offenders
Workforce Solutions helps many job seekers who are classified
as WIOA Dislocated Workers because they lost their job through
no fault of their own and are determined WIOA eligible. We are
diligent in helping these job seekers to make successful career
transitions and our efforts have resulted in:
• Ranking 1st in the state among all workforce
development boards for helping WIOA Dislocated
Workers to gain employment
• Ranking 2nd in the state among all workforce
development boards for helping WIOA Dislocated
Workers to earn a post-secondary credential
In addition, 87% of WIOA adult program customers also earned a
post-secondary credential. We commit ourselves to our mission
to provide and equip a well-trained workforce for the region.
10 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

#1
Ranked
For helping WIOA Dislocated
Workers to gain Employment
87%
of WIOA Adult Program
customers earned a
Post-Secondary Credential
#2
Ranked
8,428
Total Job Seekers Served
For helping Dislocated
Workers to earn a
Post-Secondary Credential
2018 IMPACT REPORT
11

WORKFORCE SERVICES IMPACT
85%
of Youth became employed
or enrolled in College
81
Youth gained
Work Experience
80%
of Youth earned a
Post-Secondary Credential
OVER
16,000
Youth served since the 1st YES! Expo
12 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Expanding the YES! Initiative
To Connect more Youth to Careers
This year, Workforce Solutions expanded its Youth
Employment Solutions (YES!) initiative to connect more
youth to careers. May 2018 marked the YES! Expo’s 11th
year and since its inception, the event has connected
more than 16,000 high school students to careers with
in-demand industries.
The 1st YES! Summer Earn & Learn program provided work
experience for 37 youth with disabilities. The YES! Teacher
Externship provided high school teachers with externship
opportunities with employers in in-demand industries.
Teachers gained valuable workplace related experiences
that were developed into curriculum for their students.
Throughout the year, our Youth Services program helped
177 youth with job readiness skills, soft skills and, tutoring
to help them complete a GED or to continue to pursue a
post-secondary credential. Our efforts helped:
• 44 youth to gain valuable work experiences
• 85% of youth to become employed or enrolled
in college
• 80% of youth to earn a post-secondary credential
Through the expansion of our YES! Initiative and our
Youth Services program, we continue to help youth to
connect to careers, gain work experiences, and earn
post-secondary credentials that employers value.
2018 IMPACT REPORT 13

WORKFORCE SERVICES IMPACT
Increasing the Supply of Quality Child Care
And a Professional Child Care Workforce
After a historic increase in child care funding, Governor
Abbott announced that the money would be “devoted
to increasing the quality of our child care system to
improve student academic outcomes across the state.”
The Child Care Services program has been shown to
be critical to both the well-being of low-income
families and children’s development. With a clear focus
on increasing quality, Workforce Solutions Child Care
Services (CCS) achieved a 23% increase in the star
level of its quality rated Texas Rising Star (TRS) child
care providers.
The CCS team provided training to 877 child care
teachers and administrators and provided on-site
mentoring and technical assistance to 166 teachers.
Classroom materials and curriculum were
also provided.
877
Teachers & Administrators
Trained
34%
Increase in the Number of
Children Served per Day
Funding also supported a 2 percent increase in
maximum reimbursement rates for child care providers
and larger increases for existing TRS providers.
The increased funding allowed CCS to serve 3,454
children resulting in a 34% increase in the number of
children served per day over the previous year.
166
Teachers received Mentoring
or Technical Assistance
14 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

3,454
Total Children Served
2018 IMPACT REPORT
15

TEXAS WORKFORCE AWARDS
Brazos Campos,
Magnolia Market
representative
Anna Yu,
Magnolia Market
representative
Ruth R. Hughs,
TWC Chair &
Commissioner
Representing
Employers
16 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Employer Honored at State Conference
Driving Excellence
Magnolia Market received state recognition at the 22nd annual
Texas Workforce Conference held in Houston on November 28-30,
2018. Nominated by Workforce Solutions, Magnolia Market was
honored with the Local Employer of Excellence Award for the
Heart of Texas region.
This award honors one private-sector employer in each local
workforce development area who is actively involved with the
Texas Workforce Solutions and has made a positive impact on
employers, workers and the community.
Magnolia Market was recognized because of the outstanding
contributions the company has made to its employees, to
employers and the local economy. Magnolia Market has nearly
800 team members, attracts 20,000 to 30,000 visitors per week
to Waco and generates annual revenues of $47.8 million.
Magnolia Market’s success has benefited job seekers, employers,
the Texas workforce system, and has driven excellence for the
Heart of Texas economy.
Pictured Left: Ruth R. Hughs, TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing Employers with Magnolia Market
representatives Brazos Campos and Anna Yu.
2018 IMPACT REPORT 17

TEXAS STATE WORKFORCE F TEXAS AWARDS
Workforce Board Recognized at State Conference
Honored for Partnership and Collaboration
Each year, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) highlights and recognizes the
outstanding achievements of Local Workforce Development Boards during an awards
ceremony at its annual workforce conference. The awards recognize a Board’s work in
responding to the needs of employers through skills training, job search assistance,
and other workforce support services.
This year, at the 22nd Annual Texas Workforce Conference, Workforce Solutions for the
Heart of Texas was honored to receive two awards that recognized its efforts to partner
and collaborate to help employers find qualified workers and to help job seekers secure
gainful employment.
Workforce Solutions was awarded the following awards:
• Adult Education and Literacy Partnership Award which demonstrated
our innovative approaches to partner with Adult Education and Literacy for
the Heart of Texas, administered by McLennan Community College, and
with Texas Workforce Solutions – Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the
Heart of Texas.
• Texas HireAbility Award which honored our efforts to successfully
promote employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans
with disabilities.
Pictured Top Right from Left to Right: Ruth R. Hughs, TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing Employers, Anthony Billings,
Executive Director, Sherry Smith-Dennis, McLennan Community College, Keith Stanford, Board Member, Michelle Telg, Diamond
McMaster, Frank Graves, McLennan Community College, Julian Alvarez, III, TWC Commissioner Representing Labor, Robert D. Thomas,
TWC Commissioner Representing the Public.
Pictured Bottom Right from Left to Right: Julian Alvarez, III, TWC Commissioner Representing Labor, Board Members Shirley Crockett,
Celia Stem, Diane Cowan, Alvin Pollard & Paige Key, Anthony Billings, Executive Director, Robert D. Thomas, TWC Commissioner
Representing the Public, Keith Stanford, Board Member, Ruth R. Hughs, TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing Employers.
18 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Adult Education and Literacy Partnership Award
Texas HireAbility Award
2018 IMPACT REPORT
19

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Texas Talent Connection
Middle-Skill STEM Internships
Earlier this year, Governor Greg Abbott announced the new Texas Talent Connection program and
presented grants for middle-skill STEM internship programs. Workforce Solutions for the Heart
of Texas was one of six workforce development boards in the state to receive these first awards.
Workforce Solutions will provide high school students the opportunity to earn class credit,
industry certification and on-the-job experience through welding work-based internships.
Pictured Above from Left to Right: Anthony Billings, Executive Director, Eunice Fernandez, Board Staff, Norman Conner, Workforce Board Chair,
Ruth R. Hughs, TWC Chair and Commissioner representing Employers, and Governor Greg Abbott.
20 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS

Financial Data
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas is funded by federal and state funds, and through
private grants. In Fiscal Year 2017-2018, Workforce Solutions administered $13,920,110 in
program funds.
$2,196,513
$9,374,980
$1,355,458
$183,772
$16,319
$793,067
$13,920,110
Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act
Child Care
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Trade Adjustment Act
Employment Services & Other
TOTAL
2018 IMPACT REPORT 21

www.hotworkforce.com
2019
#hotworkforce
Administrative Offices
801 Washington Avenue, Suite 700, Waco, TX 76701
P: (254) 296-5300 F: (254) 753-3173
Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Inc. Board Staff
Anthony Billings
Executive Director
Aquanetta Brobston
Quality Assurance Coordinator/Equal
Opportunity Officer/504 Coordinator
Eunice Fernandez
Director of Strategic Planning
Rochelle Goodnight
Executive Secretary
Lilian Signey-Hall
Project Support Specialist
Sugey Jaimes
Project Support Specialist
Kary Kuecker
Contract Manager of Workforce
Centers & WIOA Youth
Vicki Meek
Budget & Contract Officer
José Palacios
Project Manager
Julie Talbert
Child Care Manager
Judy Hedge
Administrative Support Specialist
The Heart of Texas Workforce Board, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer/programs and auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to include individuals with disabilities.
TTY/TDD via RELAY Texas service at 711 or (TDD) 1-800-735-2989 / 1-800-735-2988 (voice).