The Georgetown Workforce Development Alliance, which includes the City of Georgetown, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, and Georgetown Independent School District, was awarded the Texas Economic Development Council’s 2017 Workforce Excellence Award for population 40,001 to 100,000 today.

The alliance is a collaborative community effort to align quality education with workforce development needs and was started as the Education Committee of the Chamber, which has its roots in the GTSet4Success; Aligning Education and Economic Development initiative, which began in 2009.

“We are excited that the hard work the Workforce Development Alliance has put into our community is being recognized at a state level,” Georgetown Economic Development Director Michaela Dollar said. “This collaborative group is an extraordinary asset to have in Georgetown as we grow and develop the city. It is also a testament to the cooperative business environment that makes us so unique.”

The WDA’s efforts in 2016 resulted in programs such as the Georgetown Career Fair and the first Manufacturing Day. The career fair was hosted for GISD juniors and seniors and included job openings with local employers as well as sessions on interviewing skills and resume writing. Manufacturing Day included several local manufacturers hosting more than 60 high school students to spur interest for future training and employment opportunities.

“The WDA is invested in addressing the workforce needs of our growing City and implementing successful workforce initiatives to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community,” Chamber President Karen Sheldon said.

The Workforce Excellence Award program recognizes exceptional contributions by a Texas community or region that has implemented successful workforce initiatives. Nominees were judged on five criteria: innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits.

“Our TEDC’s Workforce Excellence Award is one of the ways in which our organization honors the outstanding work done by our communities and regions, their leaders, and their economic development professionals in the area of workforce development,” TEDC President/CEO Carlton Schwab said.
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