Tag Archives: Workforce Solutions Borderplex

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) has compiled the data on unemployment claims in the borderplex region from March 1 through March 28, and the month to month increase is staggering.

In February, prior to the impact of the COVID19 virus, just over 1500 workers claimed unemployment; that figure skyrocketed in March to nearly 16,000 claims in the six county region, with the biggest spike occurring during the final week of March.

“To mitigate the economic impact of this unprecedented crisis, we are working to gather and present the necessary data that will allow us and community partners to effectively position ourselves for the current and future needs of the workforce,” said Leila Melendez, CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

The report, authored by Karina Castillo and Mariel Soto of Workforce Solutions Bordeplex,  is the first of a new weekly series that includes the top claimant zip codes and occupations.

Additionally, the reports will be published at the beginning of every week, once data closing the previous Saturday becomes available.

WSB’s service region encompasses Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties.

Next week, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), along with Dynamic Workforce Solutions and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will be providing  job seekers with free entrepreneurial and financial literacy training through a series of workshops. 

“Improving financial literacy is essential to our nation’s economic health and right now is a good time to reflect on the importance of financial literacy and its impact on our community’s future financial health,” said Joyce Wilson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex.  “The workshops will help individuals develop their skills and build their potential as entrepreneurs.”

The workshops will be held at WSB locations in El Paso.  All residents of El Paso and the surrounding rural counties of Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio are invited to participate.

Workshop Dates and Topics

Monday, February 10, 2020

“Let’s Start A Business” Entrepreneurial Workshop

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

8941 Dyer

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

“Let’s Start A Business” Entrepreneurial Workshop

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

501 N. Oregon – Inside the El Paso Public Library (1st Floor)

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

“Let’s Start A Business” Entrepreneurial Workshop

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

8825 N. Loop, Suite #122

Monday, February 24, 2020

Financial Literacy Workshop

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

8941 Dyer

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Financial Literacy Workshop

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

501 N. Oregon – Inside the El Paso Public Library (1st Floor)

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Financial Literacy Workshop

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

8825 N. Loop, Suite #122

This year, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) is celebrating over 20 years in aligning and creating opportunities for skilled workers and employers.

For more information about the workshops, please contact Sofia Baldonado at 915.566.4066 ext. 18 or sbaldonado@ephcc.org. 

For more information about Workforce Solutions Borderplex, please contact Bianca Cervantes at (915) 887-2221 or visit their website.

Officials with Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) are actively seeking businesses to take part in the upcoming JobCon scheduled for Eastlake High School in Socorro Independent School District (SISD) next month.

Officials estimate that 2000 students will come together on Wednesday,February 12, for a day of career exploration and engagement with local businesses

Workforce Solutions Borderplex, in partnership with SISD, is hosting the JobCon to captivate and educate high school students about target industries and the high-demand careers in their area of the Borderplex region.

“At past JobCon events, students visited one-on-one with employers located in the Borderplex region, in a fun, collaborative setting,” WSB officials shared via a news release.

Companies who are interested in taking part in the SISD JobCon event must bring an engaging interactive exhibit where students can get hands-on experience in that industry.   The event offers employers the opportunity to not only display their services, but also the highlights of their industry to the future workforce.

“The JobCon Series was developed to captivate the interest and educate high school students in the Borderplex region about the high-demand careers that are available in their community,” WSB officials added. “Students will leave this event knowledgeable about the diverse range of career opportunities available in their area, as well as the skills needed to acquire these jobs.”

The deadline for businesses to register to take part in the SISD JobCon is Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

For more information on how to take part in the SISD JobCon, interested businesses can contact the Business Services Unit at 915-887-2332 or at Business@borderplexjobs.com.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) and its partner GECU were recognized and awarded at the 23rd Annual Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Conference in Grapevine, Texas in early December. 

In recognition of its workforce programs, Workforce Solutions Borderplex received both the Youth Inspiration & Career Awareness Award and the Service to Workers Award.  GECU was honored with the Employer Award of Excellence.

“This year, as the unemployment rate continued to drop, WSB, along with Dynamic Workforce Solutions, continued to reach hard to serve populations by revamping the service delivery model and implementing a “street team”.  As a result of the new outreach, WSB increased their caseload by 78% compared to the last program year,” WSB officials shared.

The Youth Inspiration & Career Awareness Award is intended to recognize and highlight three Local Workforce Development Board initiatives focused on supporting career awareness and exploration for young people.

Through the organization’s connection to underserved out-of-school youth (OSY)and interested employers, WSB has created a mutually beneficial endeavor.  WSB launched an initiative to show the youth-future employees-what opportunities await them and allowed employers to showcase jobs and generate interest in those.

The organization also furthered its ties to youth, developing and providing programs to serve local OSY, such as YouthBuild El Paso, Reboot El Paso! and Hire El Paso Youth.

The Service to Workers Award recognizes a Local Workforce Development Board that has demonstrated its commitment to Texas workers by significantly improving services throughout the Texas workforce system.

WSB recognized the opportunity to rethink how outreach was conducted as the unemployment rate continued to drop and the individuals left to serve included special populations that were not coming through the door.

Along with Dynamic Workforce Solutions, they completely revamped their service delivery model that included a street team. As a result of the new outreach, WSB increased its caseload by 78 percent compared to last program year.

The Employer Award of Excellence honors a private-sector employer in each local workforce development area that is actively involved with Texas Workforce Solutions. This award recognizes an employer that has, as a customer and collaborator with the Local Workforce Development Board (Board), created and used innovative approaches that have benefited the local economy and workforce significantly. These employers were chosen from the many with which Boards connect to prepare today’s workforce for tomorrow’s Texas.

WSB nominated GECU, El Paso’s largest locally owned financial institution, for its commitment to recruit and develop local talent in the local workforce development area. GECU worked closely with local independent school districts, the University Texas at El Paso, and El Paso Community College for talent development and recruitment.

Many GECU employees have been employed since high school, developing their careers with support provided by GECU through mentorship, leadership development, tuition reimbursement, certifications, and cross-training.

WSB also secured several new grant opportunities which will allow the organization to expand training outreach beyond the scope of formula funding.  Those grants are listed here:

• Excellence in Rural Service Delivery (an initiative from TWC)
• Prudential Foundation (4th year award) for STEAM Fiesta
• Military Family Support
• Texas HireAbility Award (performance award from TWC confernece)
• Career & Education Outreach Program
• Texas Industry Partnership w/ Prudential Match for Software Development

Awards and grants presented to WSB at the event totaled over $825,000.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. Workforce Solutions Borderplex,

Workforce Boards throughout the State of Texas, the TWC and workforce system partners work together to respond to the needs of employers and workers through skills training, job search assistance, and other workforce support services.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex is hosting the 9th annual Hiring Red, White & You! statewide veterans hiring event.

A joint initiative hosted by the Texas Workforce Solutions, in partnership with office of the Governor, Texas Medical Center and the Texas Veterans Commission, the event connects veterans and their spouses with employers who are seeking veterans’ skills.  The outreach also includes members of the public.

The campaign encourages Texas employers to recognize the advanced skills and experience many brave service men and women have to offer through their military experience and help veterans and their spouses in Texas transition into the civilian workforce.

This is a free event with complimentary parking and is open to all job seekers. At least 80 employers from the Borderplex region’s most in-demand companies have confirmed attendance at this event, making this the biggest hiring event of the year.

Job seekers are advised to come dressed to impress and with plenty of copies of their resume for employers to review.

The Workforce Solutions Borderplex Mobile Unit will be onsite and a Resource Room will be available for computer usage and printing.

Hiring Red, White & You!

Thursday, November 7, 2019

9:00am – 1:00pm

El Maida Shriners Temple

6331 Alabama

Launched in 2012, the statewide veteran hiring fairs are happening in 29 cities throughout Texas, all on November 7th. All the hiring events are at no cost to employers or veteran and public participants.

Over the past seven years, Hiring Red, White & You! has connected more than 84,153 job seekers, including 35,485 active duty military, transitioning service members, veterans and 48,668 spouses to 14,420 employers with over 2,027 same-day hires.

The number of veterans in Texas is estimated to be 1.7 million (BLS estimate), and an estimated 967,000 of these veterans are eligible for work.  Connecting Texas employers to qualified former U.S. military service members and their spouses can be an asset to businesses. Veterans are trained to adapt to change, take initiative and learn quickly.

“By hiring more veteran and veteran spouse candidates, employers can reduce turnover, maintain a more stable workforce over time, and employers who hire veterans and their spouses may earn up to $9,600 in federal tax credits through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program,” WSB officials shared.

On Thursday, officials with Workforce Solutions Borderplex announced a new career and education outreach program called Grind Talk.

The program will cover a variety of topics geared towards guiding youth, educators, and parents on the importance of career planning; Grind Talk supports 20 school districts.

Newly hired WSB staff members will create customized, on-demand content for classroom and special event presentations and demonstrations.

Specific topics include:

• How to Get a Job
• Mock Interviews
• High Demand Jobs
• Target Industries
• Soft Skills
• Industry Focused
• Labor Market Information
• Endorsement Pathways
• Career Exploration Games
• Soft Skills Activity Game
• Career Fair/Day

On the local level, WSB hired three new staff members to handle outreach and coordination for the Grind Talk program.

Camryn Brenton – Outreach Specialist

Steven Van Zwienen – Outreach Specialist

April Hall – Career and Education Outreach Coordinator

As recent graduate from Colorado Christian University, Camryn will apply her degree in Secondary Education and General Science to the Grind Talk.   She has a teaching background in high school chemistry and biology.

Steven holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Shippensburg University, a teaching credential from San Diego State University, and a Masters degree from BIOLA University.  In addition to working as a social worker with various disadvantaged populations, he has worked in education for over 15 years, as both a teacher and as an administrator.

April has over 10 years of experience in youth advocacy and outreach.  She is Co-Chair of the Canutillo CTE Advisory Board and is a member of the YISD T-STEM Advisory Board. She graduated from UTEP with a Bachelors in Multidisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Communication.

For more information on Grind Talk, please contact April Hall, Outreach Coordinator, at 915-549-4380.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) is celebrating 20 years of serving as the leader and pacesetter in aligning and creating opportunities for skilled workers and employers.

WSB’s service region encompasses Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) CEO Joyce Wilson has advised the Board of Directors of her intent to retire effective March 1, 2020.   

“While there is never an ideal time for a leadership change, I believe that Workforce Solutions is in a good place financially and performance-wise to allow a new leader to step in,” Joyce Wilson said in announcing her retirement. “My successor will have a tremendous opportunity to build on our successes and take this organization to the next level.”

Wilson formally submitted her retirement notice this week to allow the Board of Directors adequate time to conduct an executive search for her successor.

Wilson joined WSB in June 2014, shortly after her retirement as El Paso’s first City Manager.    During her nearly six-year tenure, she significantly enhanced the organization’s visibility and relevance in the region, developed innovative programs and services, and established WSB as one of the highest-performing regional workforce development boards in the state and nation.

WSB has received several major awards for advancements in improved child care programming, services for persons with disabilities and its widely recognized COMPTIA Information Technology credentialing program.

The organization has secured alternative funding to reach a wider audience of residents needing or desiring enhanced training, and to support businesses with talent gaps.

“This is bittersweet news for our board,” stated Grace Munoz, WSB Board Chair.  “We’ve been very blessed as an organization to have Joyce as our CEO for the past five years. She has led a very innovative and extremely stable workforce development board. Yet Joyce had been clear when she arrived that she only planned to stay with us for a few years.  She has decided to retire at a time our organization is in great shape, a recognized leader in the State of Texas, and providing high-quality services to jobseekers and businesses in our region.  We are sad to see her go, but at the same time we are looking forward to continuing our organization’s positive trajectory with our next CEO.”

The CEO position will be posted on Thursday, October 10 and applications will be accepted through Friday, November 8.  An executive search committee has been established by the Board to review applications and recommend a group of finalists.

Information about the position can be found online.

ABOUT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS BORDERPLEX

Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) is celebrating 20 years of serving as the leader and pacesetter in aligning and creating opportunities for skilled workers and employers. WSB advances education, employment, entrepreneurship and economic development prospects in support of global competitiveness and regional prosperity. The organization’s service region encompasses Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties. For more information about Workforce Solutions Borderplex, please contact Bianca Cervantes at (915) 887-2221 or visit www.borderplexjobs.com.

The Socorro Independent School District, in partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex, organized a first-ever Job Con event to help sophomore students learn about education pathways, fields of study and careers.

The event provided more than 2,000 students a day of hands-on career exploration at Eastlake High School. Students were exposed to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), business and industry, public service, arts and humanities, and multidisciplinary studies, all which are offered by Team SISD.

“Sophomore year is the last year students can change their endorsement. That is why Job Con was the perfect event for our students at this grade level,” said George Thomas, director of SISD Career and Technical Education.

“Students got to learn about target industries, high-demand careers in the area, and the skills they need to acquire the professions.”

Layla Melendez, chief operating officer for Workforce Solutions Borderplex, said Job Con is the largest interactive job fair in El Paso.

“This is our favorite and biggest event,” Melendez said. “We get to show students what employers do, how they do it, and why they do it so they can follow in their footsteps and build a strong El Paso.”

Sophomores visited more than 60 stations and networked with plenty of business representatives, who had an array of displays, samples, and creative props to make the expositions enlightening.

“This was a great way to get an idea about what we want to be when we grow up,” said Omar Erives, a student at Montwood High School. “I always thought I wanted to be an electrical engineer but at this event I really liked what El Paso Aero had to offer.”

Avery Benitez, a student at Socorro High School, also found the event to be helpful.

“I didn’t know there were these many open doors in El Paso,” she said. “Now I can see that there is a lot to choose from. My favorite presentation was on building a computer because I like working with technology.”

Presenters were happy that students recognized El Paso has a thriving career market.

“El Paso has had a stigma that there is nothing to do or that we don’t have high-paying jobs,” said Jaime Blanco, owner of Double Scope Films, a production company. “That is a misconception. There is a lot of creative work in El Paso and we feel its important to let the youth know they have these options.”

SISD and Workforce Solutions Borderplex also wanted parents of students with special needs to learn about work opportunities for their children. They were invited to an information night the day before JobCon to learn about students’ rights, social security, transition to college and workforce integration.

Team SISD and Workforce Solutions Borderplex will partner again in the spring for a second JobCon on Feb. 12 at Eastlake High School.

Job Con event photos

Officials with Workforce Solutions Borderplex announced Monday that they will be hosting a ‘Next Level Workshop and Hiring Event’ this Wednesday, August 28.

Next Level Workshop and Hiring Event is a one-day event geared towards assisting individuals participating in SNAP-E & T (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) into employment positions.

Event Details:

• Full-Day Participation Required
• Workshops offered:  Labor Market Information, Texas Reality Check and Motivational Speaker, Dawn Thurmond, President and Chief Inspiration Officer at The Morning Muse
• Lunch will be served
• 20 Employers will be onsite for on-the-spot short-term training sessions
• Qualified candidates may be hired for positions in retail, business, customer service, telemarketing, data and call centers
• Workforce Solutions Borderplex will provide clothing assistance up to $200 in gift card incentives for qualifying participation
• Transportation assistance is provided
• Some participants will receive a “Life Prep” Goody Bag

Employer Registration:  Email business@borderplexjobs.com or call 915-887-2332

Next Level Workshop and Hiring Event

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

8:00am to 5:00pm

Wyndham Airport Hotel

2027 Airway Blvd.

Ahead of next month’s SISD JobCon, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) officials are actively seeking “dynamic businesses” to take part in the event.

JobCon scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at Socorro Independent School District (SISD.)  WSB officials say close to 2000 students will come together for a day of career exploration.

“Workforce Solutions Borderplex, in partnership with SISD, is hosting the JobCon to captivate and educate high school students about target industries and the high-demand careers in their area of the Borderplex region,”  officials shared via email. “At past JobCon events, students visited one-on-one with employers located in the Borderplex region, in a fun, collaborative setting.”

Companies who are interested in taking part in the SISD JobCon event must bring an engaging interactive exhibit where students can get hands-on experience in that industry.

The event offers employers the opportunity to not only display their services, but also the highlights of their industry to the future workforce.

Officials added that the JobCon Series was developed to captivate the interest and educate high school students in the Borderplex region about the high-demand careers that are available in their community.

“Students will leave this event knowledgeable about the diverse range of career opportunities available in their area, as well as the skills needed to acquire these jobs.”

The deadline for businesses to register to take part in the SISD JobCon is Friday, August 30th.

For more information on how to take part in the SISD JobCon, please contact the Business Services Unit at 915-887-2332 or at Business@borderplexjobs.com.

A three-way partnership between Workforce Solutions Borderplex, the Success Through Technology Education (STTE) Foundation and El Paso Community College mean free youth Summer Camp opportunities concentrating on robotics, entrepreneurship and app development are now open for registration.

The one-day camps, that begin July 25, are tailored for youth ages 13-18 years of age and are located throughout El Paso to ease the burden of transportation costs. Lunch will also be provided.

About Camps

STEEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Math) Camp – Campers will work on a theme “Eliminating Paper Through an App,” where they will learn how to develop an app starting with Sketch Design.

They will discover the importance of User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI). The camp will wrap up with a lesson on the “Lean Startup” and discovering the nine building blocks of the “Business Model Canvas.”

Robotics Camp – Campers will design, build, and code robots to compete in a tournament. Applying basic STEM concepts to a competitive atmosphere increases student engagement and makes lessons feel more real.

VEX robots bring code to life and allow students to see how what they’re learning has a direct impact in the real world, and how individual math and engineering elements come together to form a solution to a real problem.

Youth will learn how VEX Coding Studio, a custom-made programming software, works.

Camp Dates & Locations

STEEM Camp – Thursday, July 25 from 9am to 4pm at STTE Foundation (inside CoWork Oasis) 114 Texas Avenue

STEEM Camp – Friday, July 26 from 9am to 4pm at STTE Foundation (inside CoWork Oasis) 114 Texas Avenue

Robotics Camp – Monday, July 29 from 9am to 2pm at Eastwood High School, 2430 McRae Boulevard.

Robotics Camp – Tuesday, July 30 from 9am to 2pm at EPCC Northwest Campus, 9570 Gateway North Boulevard.

Robotics Camp – Wednesday, July 31 from 9am to 2pm at EPCC Transmountain Campus, 6701 South Desert Boulevard.

Where to Register

To pre-register for STTE Foundation Summer Camps, go online and a Workforce Solutions Borderplex representative will be in contact to determine eligibility.

Officials with Workforce Solutions Borderplex announced Friday that registration is now open for the 3rd cohort of the final opportunity for Borderplex residents to take part in the Cybersecurity Technology Certification Training program that is free for selected participants.

The 3rd cohort will run from August 19, 2019 through November 11, 2019, Monday through Friday, from 9 am – 4 pm each day. Candidates who currently do not have a full-time work commitment are encouraged to apply for the program.

Candidates can now register to take an assessment test to qualify for entrance into the 3rd cohort from now through Friday, August 2, 2019.

The final campaign of the Workforce Solutions’ Cybersecurity training program will offer a suite of (5) IT security certificates that build an individual’s capacity to work in the cybersecurity field.

This is the 3rd of three (12)-week training cohorts that will provide candidates with the necessary skills required to pass the five, IT-recognized, highly-coveted cybersecurity certifications in IT fundamentals, A+, Network+, Security+, and CSA+.

This training program is targeted to adults; students; veterans, transitioning soldiers, and military spouses; and currently unemployed and underemployed professionals.

To successfully complete the program, candidates must be ready to pass the 5 certification tests.  WSB officials say it “is an intense IT training” that will require candidates to:

• Possess an aptitude for IT, with the ability to pass an IT Fundamentals assessment with a 65% passage rate
• Candidates will need to prove their right to work in the U.S. by providing eligible documents
• Candidates will need to commit to near perfect attendance while undergoing the program
• Candidates will not be able to be currently employed in a typical Monday-Friday, 9-5 job during the training program, due to the program’s strict attendance requirement and rigorous course of study

Candidates interested in taking part in the 3rd cohort of the cybersecurity training program must sign up to take an IT Fundamentals exam on the registration page, which can be found here and they can find more information about the program on the Workforce Solutions Borderplex website.

The test registration period for the 3rd cohort will be open until Friday, August 2, 2019. Potential candidates must pass the IT Fundamentals exam with a score of 65% or higher.

From there, candidates will undergo an interview process, must pass a WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) eligibility screening, and agree to seek a job in the IT field upon program completion.

For more information about the Cybersecurity Technology Certification Training program, please contact Natalie Littlefield at Natalie.littlefield@borderplexjobs.com.

On Friday morning, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) officials announced that they had been awarded $25,000 in grant funding from Bank of America in support for the HireElPaso Summer Youth Program.

“Workforce Solutions Borderplex is honored to receive this funding from Bank of America.  This grant will allow us to place even more out-of-school students into summer jobs and provide them with good work experience they can build upon,” said Leila Melendez, COO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

“Bank of America understands and shares our urgency in providing youth with foundational skills that will help them successfully transition into the workforce. The work experience these youth will obtain will provide them with a great competitive advantage for their future.”

The Hire El Paso Youth Work Program puts regional youth to work in real jobs setting them on a path to be successful and workforce-ready.   It subsidizes 100 percent of a paid work experience for 100 youth between the ages of 16-24, for 20-40 hours a week and for up to 12 weeks.  Youth must meet eligibility requirements, which can be found online.

“Bank of America is proud to support Workforce Solutions Borderplex’s vital work in El Paso through our Summer Youth Employment grant. Established to provide youth with opportunities for workforce development, this annual grant is an important component of our efforts to improve economic mobility in the communities we serve,” said Kristi Marcum, Market President for Bank of America.

“Together, with Workforce Solutions Borderplex, we look forward to closing the skills-based education gap and building the community’s younger workforce.”

For more information on Bank of America’s commitment to youth success, please visit their website.

On Monday, officials with he Borderplex Alliance and The City of El Paso announced that Teleperformance is opening an operations center in the Sun City.

Dee Margo, Mayor of El Paso, said, “We’re grateful to Teleperformance for selecting El Paso. Since day one of my administration I’ve been focused on bringing jobs to El Paso. With near-record low unemployment in El Paso and a string of great companies headed to the region, we are proud to welcome Teleperformance.”

Teleperformance, essentially a customer call center, describes themselves as “the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management.”  According to their website, they operate in 80 countries worldwide.

Jon Barela, CEO, The Borderplex Alliance, said, “Economic development is competitive. It’s a victory when a company moves to our region, but when a company commits to hiring over 1,100 people in our community, there is much to celebrate.”

There was no word on the exact date that Teleperformance would be opening their doors, but officials with Borderplex Alliance shared that the company would be “seeking customer-oriented, and highly motivated employees.”

Travis Coates, Chief Operations Office, Teleperformace USA and Canada, said “We’re excited to come to El Paso. To be a leader in customer experience, you must hire the best people. That is what attracted us to El Paso. This community has a great workforce with the skills and the positive work attitude we are looking for. We thank The City of El Paso and The Borderplex Alliance for their help. We can’t wait to open our doors.”

For more information on Teleperformance, visit their website.

Workforce Solutions Borderplex officials announced Friday the return of their El Paso Summer Youth Employment initiatives, helping to put the youth of the region to work.

WSB, along with their partners Medical Center of the Americas, Goodman Financial, and Career and Technical Education program of Ysleta Independent School District launched the 2019 season of Hire El Paso Youth Summer Work Program, Summer Earn & Learn, and the Texas Internship Challenge.

“The Board of Directors of Workforce Solutions Borderplex and I salute our local business partners who have already committed to take part in this season’s Summer Youth Employment campaign by opening their worksites to youth to provide important business mentorship and life experiences,” shared Joyce Wilson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

“With unemployment rates at record lows and a growing demand for talent in the Borderplex region, it is critical that we focus on the future workforce pipeline by reaching out to students as they graduate from high school, or while they are still in college, to provide practical work experience in their field of study or area of interest in an effort to foster this young talent and encourage them to build fruitful careers in our region.”

These impactful programs put regional youth to work; providing first-time, real job experience that sets youth on a path to be successful and workforce-ready.

The Hire El Paso Youth Work Program* will subsidize 100 percent of a paid work experience for 100 youth between the ages of 16-24, for 20-40 hours a week and for up to 12 weeks.

Summer Earn & Learn Program* will subsidize 100 percent of the paid work experience for 85 youth with disabilities between the ages of 16-22, for 30 hours a week and for up to 7 weeks.

*For Hire El Paso Work Program and Summer Earn & Learn, youth must meet eligibility requirements, which can be found online.

The Texas Internship Challenge, a partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Education Agency and the Higher Education Coordinating Board, aims to increase and promote paid internships for students with Texas employers.

For employer participation in the Texas Internship Challenge, employers must commit to covering the costs for the internships.

The Summer Youth Employment campaign is a win-win for all involved, as employers will benefit from having a motivated, young adult in their workplace, while giving them a crucial, career-building opportunity.

Employers who take part in the Summer Earn & Learn Program will also receive insights and recommendations as to how to best serve customers with disabilities and learn how to easily adapt workplaces to employ persons with disabilities.

“The Summer Youth Employment programs have a far-reaching impact on our region, that builds a pipeline for the local workforce, with many youth returning to the same employer for multiple years,” WSB officials added via a news release.

“The summer job opportunities also provide valuable life lessons for the youth such as learning the importance of attendance and punctuality; articulating themselves professionally in a workplace setting; and learning how to accept direction and constructive criticism.”

Workforce Solutions Borderplex is subsidizing 185 positions for regional youth in these special summer employment programs.

For more information:

Hire El Paso Youth Summer Work Program – StreetTeam@borderplexjobs.com or (915) 887-2600

Summer Earn & Learn – StreetTeam@borderplexjobs.com or (915) 887-2600

Texas Internship Challenge – Visit www.txinternshipchallenge.com for program details.

The following businesses have committed to hosting youth for the 2019 campaign:

• Alderperson Place 2, City of San Elizario
• Bell 2 Bell
• Bella Luna Engineering
• Counter Tops Plus Inc.
• CVIA Insurance Agency
• Designer’s Mart
• Diaz Services Heating & Cooling
• El Paso’s Sweet Shop & Bakery
• JP’s Industrial
• Justice of the Peace John Chatman
• La Posada Home
• Lee Wrangler Clearance Center
• Metro PCS
• Mexus Inc
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• Personnel Partners
• Project Vida
• Representative Alejandra Anello-District 2 Central
• Representative Cassandra Hernandez-District 3
• Representative Henry Rivera-District 7
• Sandra Serna-State Farm Insurance Company
• Technimark
• The Hospitals of Providence-Eastside Campus
• The Hospitals of Providence-Memorial Campus
• The Hospitals of Providence-Sierra Campus
• The Hospitals of Providence-Transmountain Campus
• Time Clock Sales & Service
• UTOPIA
• Walgreens
• West-Tex customer payroll & marketing

For employers who would like to host a youth for the summer in their workplace, please contact Business@borderplexjobs.com or (915) 887-2332.