San Antonio's City Council has green-lighted a hefty $49.5 million budget for the Ready to Work (RTW) program, aiming to bolster the city's workforce through continued education and training. Starting July 1, this fiscal year 2025 budget will fund a range of initiatives including On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) to the tune of $6 million, according to an official release from the city's website. Employers in San Antonio are to quickly reap benefits from this investment by being better able to train current employees and fill emerging vacancies.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg stressed that tackling economic stagnation and generational poverty is crucial. He expressed confidence that the budget "acknowledges the success of the previous year," aiming to expand Ready to Work's impact across the community. "This budget acknowledges the success of the previous year, expanding SA Ready to Work’s offerings to thousands more in our community," Nirenberg told the city's news release. He believes that the RTW program will keep developing a comprehensive workforce ecosystem well into the future.
Mike Ramsey, executive director of the City’s Workforce Development Office, emphasized their commitment to fiscal responsibility and continuous improvement. "We engage our prime partners, community champions, workforce leaders, employer partners and our elected officials so that we can offer a robust and impactful experience for our participants," Ramsey explained to the city's news bulletin. As the program enters its third year, it celebrates the significant milestone of nearly 1,000 people placed in quality jobs, with a 75% training completion rate.
The RTW program boasts some impressive numbers: more than 7,000 individuals have enrolled in training programs tailored towards lucrative careers, with close to 4,800 participants still working to complete their training. Out of those who completed training, nearly 80% have found quality employment within a year; half of them secured jobs within six months. Notably, individuals who completed the program and were subsequently placed in jobs saw their household income jump from an average of around $15,000 before the program to a mean annual salary of approximately $44,000 after program completion. This points to a significant enhancement in the financial well-being of participants and by extension, their contribution to the local economy.
