“Make a Living, Making Austin.” That’s the promise behind the new Austin Infrastructure Academy—and it’s answering a big question: How do we connect local talent to the 10,000+ jobs being created each year in one of our region’s fastest-growing sectors?
In another special mini-episode, host Tamara Atkinson explores the untapped potential of this dynamic sector at the inaugural launch of Austin's Infrastructure Academy. On March 26, 2025, Workforce Solutions Capital Area hosted the Austin Infrastructure Academy Launch Event & Job Fair. Supported by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and numerous community partners, the event offered a one-stop-shop for Austinites to explore careers in mobility and infrastructure (M+I), evaluate their career readiness, and connect to next steps to start their journeys either directly into employment or skills training.
M+I is the second largest industry sector in our region, adding 10,000 quality job opportunities for Austinites each year to work on projects like the Airport Expansion, Project Connect, IH-35 and more. The Austin Infrastructure Academy is a new marketplace that provides customized navigation to help local talent either begin their career journeys or upskill and grow in their current M+I roles.
Join Tamara as she speaks with a career seeker, employer partner, and labor union partner to learn about their motivation to attend the official Austin Infrastructure Academy launch, their experience growing their networks; and advice for anyone in Austin thinking about a career in M+I.
In This Episode:
- (00:00) Introduction to Austin's Infrastructure Academy launch event
- (01:20) Errin Evans discusses career seeking in mobility and infrastructure
- (04:05) RJ Endsley shares Halff's involvement in the local mobility and infrastructure sector partnership
- (06:47) Matthew Gonzales explains LIUNA's support for Austin’s mobility and infrastructure workforce
- (09:26) Closing remarks and information on getting involved
- Like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
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, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We also celebrate the victories: the ingenious solutions, the unexpected collaborations, and the best practices that are making us all sharper. You’ll hear guests from all sides of the table – elected officials with a finger on the pulse of the economy, industry leaders from booming sectors like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades, and educators shaping young minds in our schools and post-secondary education programs. So, tune in and get ready to be informed, inspired, and maybe even surprised by the future of work in Austin.
Resources:
Austin Infrastructure Academy: https://wfsca.co/infrastructure-academy
Halff: https://halff.com/
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.