Shaping Texas’ Future: Commissioner Joe Esparza on Veterans, Employers, and Childcare

What innovative strategies is TWC Commissioner Joe Esparza using to support veterans and small businesses in the Texas workforce? 

Join Tamara Atkinson and the Commissioner, as Joe shares his unique journey from selling perfumes to becoming a significant figure in Texas workforce development, drawing from his experience as a Marine Corps veteran. There are pressing workforce challenges in Texas, including childcare access, support for employers, and job opportunities for veterans. Commissioner Esparza dives into these challenges and shares the programs and initiatives TWC is leading to address them. 

The Commissioner emphasizes the importance of equipping students and educators through programs like the Texas Interns Network and teacher externships, aiming to bridge the gap between education and industry. He explains how veterans play a critical role in the Texas workforce - focusing on their leadership and problem-solving skills. Joe also advocates for enhanced childcare solutions to support working families. Throughout the episode, Joe provides personal anecdotes and professional insights, and shares a comprehensive exploration of workforce challenges and opportunities in Texas.  
 
Joe Esparza is one of three TWC Commissioners, and currently serves as the Commissioner Representing Employers, a position to which Governor Abbott appointed him in November of 2023. In this role, he advocates for over 660,000 Texas employers and more than 3 million small businesses, helping them grow and succeed across the state. Prior to this, Esparza served as Texas Deputy Secretary of State, beginning in December 2018, and as a Senior Appointments Manager in Governor Abbott's office. A Texas Tech University graduate with a degree in Agricultural Communications, Esparza is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served in Iraq during the Global War on Terrorism. 

In This Episode:  

• (00:00) Tamara welcomes Joe Esparza, the commissioner’s first job as a “Squirt Flirt” 

• (06:53) Joe’s military background and support for veterans and the next generation of the workforce (K-12 students) through his role as Commissioner 

• (10:00) Red White & You events, Veterans Day, celebrating 249 years of the Marine Corps, unemployment insurance assistance for employers 

• (16:16) Fortune 500 companies moving to Texas, partnering with training providers to find their workforces, pathways for high school students 

• (19:00) Surprising learnings from the Commissioner’s first year in office, what he's hearing from employers and families on the impact of child care on the workforce, upskilling grants, learnings from the pandemic 

• (25:56) Addressing legislative goals for future workforce development, future challenges and opportunities for TWC and the Texas workforce, investing in students and educators, looking into the next year, reinvigorating the industry with tech and AI 

• (31:00) Closing thoughts - resources 

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About the show:  

Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area and hosted by WFS CEO Tamara Atkinson, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks,