Austin Brinkley, Career and Education Outreach Specialist
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Workforce Connects with Education through the Career and Education Specialist
When asked what this program's initial goal was when he started his workforce
development career, Austin Brinkley, Career and Education Outreach Specialist,
explained its initial purpose. "It was started to better connect workforce
boards with their local independent school districts and provide career guidance,
career information and workforce preparation to students," Brinkley stated.
"This is done in a variety of ways such as classroom presentations, providing
information at school events and ensuring faculty have access to the latest
labor market data to keep their curriculum current," he said. "There has been
a concentrated effort in various industries to highlight the value of middle
skills careers for students who do not have college interests. The hope is
that providing valuable information about careers in Southeast Texas will
help to alleviate the generational gap in many of these fields. The goal is
to be an all-encompassing resource for career preparation to any schools in
our area that need it."
The Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas education outreach program has expanded
its reach to nearly all districts in the workforce development area.
"In the past year alone, we have reached over 4,000 students, educating them
on topics such as resume writing, interviewing, soft skills and making data-driven
decisions," he said. "Our virtual reality headsets have also been a great learning
and career ready asset, allowing students to get 'hands-on' experiences with a
variety of high-demand careers."
The program emphasizes there are many occupational options to be self-sufficient,
whether they plan to attend college, join the military or go straight into the
workforce after high school. There has been increased collaboration with
vocational rehabilitation through the HireAbility Navigator as well as the
Opportunity Now program. This program aligns with the education outreach program's
interests as its focus is on career readiness for special education students.
Brinkley says he hopes the future of the program is to continue our growth and
work with every district in our area, as well as expand to even more schools within
each district. "We are also looking to foster more connections between school
districts and our local employers to create and strengthen pathways to local
employment," he said. "While we support our students' future, we want them to
know there are many opportunities right here in Southeast Texas as employers
hire local."
For more information regarding the Career and Education Specialist initiative,
please contact our board office at 409-719-4750.
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