Job growth in the tech sector is expected to explode over the next several years, surpassing average growth in all other occupations. In fact, economists estimate there will be more than 350,000 job openings each year in the computer and information technology industry.
A new collaboration between employers, educators, and workforce organizations in Texas seeks to prepare Americans for these jobs. The Texas Flywheel Initiative, launched last fall with support from the Charles Koch Foundation (CKF), has been facilitated and driven by local partners who recognized an opportunity to improve economic mobility for thousands of Texans who do not have a college degree. Facilitated by the Education Design Lab, the Texas Flywheel already has shifted public and employer perception about how to source talent, highlighting stories of how non-degree holders can contribute to growth.
Why Texas?
The Lone Star State is leading the way in digital infrastructure. Home to fast-growing sectors like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, the state will be home to thousands of new jobs in the coming years. These jobs will offer Texans the chance to earn a good living while contributing to companies that are driving a new chapter in American abundance.
Existing barriers could prevent Texans from taking advantage of these opportunities. These obstacles include a lack of awareness and a gap between the skills taught in current training programs. Barriers also include a lack of skill sets needed for fast-evolving digital jobs and a deficit of clear talent pipelines from high school to the job market.
“The Texas talent ecosystem has all the right pieces — employers, educators, workforce and civic organizations — but often these stakeholders do not always have the visibility needed to best help people understand the opportunities that are out there and how they can prepare for them,” explained CKF Executive Director Ryan Stowers. “By bringing these stakeholders together, Texas Flywheel will promote awareness, expand access, and build strong pipelines into these digital careers.”
The initiative is working with local colleges, training providers, and program designers to co-design micro-pathways, with stackable credentials aligned with employers, talent needs, enabling faster access to high-opportunity roles in data centers and related fields.
For employers, the initiative helps to identify pain points, forecast demand, and align education and hiring practices to skills, not degrees.
Learn more about the Texas Flywheel Initiative.