Austin Workforce Collaborative

 

WHAT IS THE AUSTIN WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE (AWC)?

  • We are a group of over 20 workforce training organizations and programs committed to expanding job training and pathways to employment in Austin. AWC organizations offer a variety of support from skill training to job placement. As the community with the third largest population in all of Chicago, Austin residents face inadequate employment and work training opportunities. The aftermath of the pandemic has only increased the community’s need for employment resources more than ever.
  • Strategies to address the challenges in Austin are outlined in the Austin Forward. Together. (AFT) quality-of-life plan, a set of goals created by and for the community designed to address these issue areas by the year 2024: Community Narrative, Education, Housing, Youth Empowerment, Economic Development, Public Safety, and Civic Engagement.
  • The Austin Workforce Collaborative was created out of the Economic Development (ED) issue area in Austin Forward. Together., which describes the community’s desire to breathe new life into Austin’s economy by improving its infrastructure, building local and small businesses, and training/developing local workers and entrepreneurs.

WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE?

  • The AWC desires to bring mission-aligned organizations and community partners together to create pathways to a living wage and upwardly mobile careers for new, under, and unemployed workers in Austin. Currently, the unemployment rate in Austin is 13% compared to 8% for the city of Chicago*

WHAT IS OUR VISION?

  • The AWC envisions a career-ready Austin workforce. We recognize Austin has resources and opportunities to thrive economically and sees our role as instrumental in connecting residents to these resources and opportunities. This directly responds to the AFT plan’s goal to support revitalization in and by Austin. The goal is to support new and local businesses, entrepreneurs, and the workforce and attract new investment to build a stronger, more dynamic local economy.

WHAT WE DO:

The Austin Workforce Collaborative is committed to bringing employment to Austin residents through:

  • TRAINING
    • AWC organizations aim to heighten coaching, training, and employment opportunities for Austin and its residents. AWC members offer training in various industries, including food, hospitality, manufacturing, trades, apprenticeships, business, education, health services, personal services, and more! Connecting Austin residents with our members’ training programs continue to be one of the primary goals of the AWC.
  • COLLABORATION
    • AWC maintains an active membership base of 23 different organizations offering a wide variety of workforce development programs covering a variety of industries and targeted toward multiple age groups. The AWC ensures that these organizations collaborate toward a better Austin by providing an open forum for them to communicate and coordinate their courses of action.
  • PROMOTION
    • Increasing awareness of the AWC and its benefits to the greater Austin community has become incredibly important. These awareness campaigns ensure that the AWC is helping the community as much as possible beyond its member organizations.

*cmap.illinois.gov