DALLAS, Texas 鈥� Industry, education and workforce development leaders gathered June 2 at Pegasus Park in Dallas to discuss workforce needs in some of North Texas' fastest-growing industries, including healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing and energy.
Discussions focused on workforce demand in Texas.
The event was hosted through the Texas Talent Accelerator, a collaborative launched by the University of North Texas last fall to help align education, training and workforce development efforts with the needs of regional industries to drive economic growth and opportunity in North Texas.
Discussions focused on workforce demand in healthcare, where employers continue to face hiring challenges, as well as growing opportunities in semiconductor manufacturing and energy as companies invest in new facilities and infrastructure across Texas.
"Occupations and fields are changing quickly with AI and other industry trends," said Ben Magill, executive director of the Texas Talent Accelerator. "The issues we want to tackle require all of us to work together. No single employer or institution can solve this alone."
Panelists spoke on the continued demand for healthcare professionals.
During a discussion on healthcare needs, panelists pointed to continued demand for healthcare professionals and the importance of closer coordination between employers and educational institutions.
Sally Williams, workforce center director for the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation, said that collaboration helps ensure training programs reflect employer needs.
"It's better to work together, engage with employers to understand the need and align that with educational programs," Williams said.
Todd Oldham, vice president for education analytics and technical services at Strada Education Foundation, noted that healthcare remains one of the nation's largest employment sectors and continues to offer strong career opportunities.
"These are positions that are in demand, and they are stable and automation-resistant," Oldham said.
Ben Magill, Executive Director and Moderator of the UNT-led Texas Talent Accelerator
The event also examined workforce needs in emerging industries, including semiconductor manufacturing and energy.
Greg Blair, vice president at Julius Education, discussed efforts to map career pathways that help individuals understand the skills, credentials and training needed to enter growing fields. Blair noted that approximately one-third of the semiconductor workforce is age 55 or older, creating future hiring needs as workers retire.
Laura Ward, president and CEO of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, said increasing awareness of career pathways will be critical to meeting employer demand.
"People may not understand what the good jobs are, but if we can educate them about the pathway to get there and the first credential they need, we can connect more people to opportunity," Ward said.
From 鈥� Education