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Middle Skills Talent
UpSkill Houston Fuels a Stronger Economy with Greater Opportunity

Employers across Greater Houston are looking to hire qualified residents for good-paying careers that require skills beyond high school, but less than a four-year college degree. Nearly 1 million such positions exist, and the number is projected to grow. Yet employers face difficulties finding workers to fill these occupations. 

Through research, analysis, and engagement with critical stakeholders, UpSkill Houston understands the barriers to attracting, training, and placing qualified workers in these careers. UpSkill Houston brings stakeholders together and helps them:

UpSkill Houston challenges employers, educators, community-based leaders, and public officials to join us in accelerated, collective action to grow the skilled workforce Houston needs to compete in the global, 21st century economy and create opportunity for all Houstonians. 

UpSkill Houston has emerged as a leader for bold change by orchestrating the direct impact necessary to create a pipeline of skilled workers for the region’s employers and better pathways to prosperity for the region’s residents. Our progress, approach, and framework have served as the inspiration or model for workforce development initiatives in Texas and across the country. Learn more here. 

 

Factors Affecting the Growth of a Skilled Workforce

Employers across Greater Houston are looking to hire qualified area residents for good paying, rewarding careers that require skills beyond high school, but less than a four-year college degree. Of the more than 3.1 million workers in Greater Houston, more than 920,000 or 30 percent are employed in occupations meeting these criteria. The region’s recent overall rapid job growth included meaningful growth in these occupations, and this trend is expected to continue over the next five years.

Yet employers are facing difficulties finding workers with the skills and education to fill these positions. There is a strong push for students to pursue four-year college degrees. Certain industries struggle with outdated perceptions about their work. Effective career guidance for these careers is lacking. Also, current workers who are unemployed or under-employed face multiple challenges as they seek to upskill and reskill into these occupations.

Further, Houston’s economy and industries are being reshaped by technology and other global forces at a more rapid pace than ever before, impacting talent needs. As technology affects all jobs — creating new ones, augmenting others, and automating some — digital skills will increasingly be a requirement in all occupations. In addition, employers are placing a premium on soft and noncognitive skills.

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UpSkill Houston Facilitates Workforce Conversations

UpSkill Houston launched its UpSkill Works Forum Series to foster workforce development discussions and actions across greater Houston’s employer, education and non-profit communities by presenting conversations with regional business, education and community leaders, policy makers and high-profile thought leaders on the key workforce issues the greater Houston region confronts. The series supports and advances the initiative’s work to help employers identify the key skills they need for workers to be successful, provide relevant information about careers and pathways, and drive effective career guidance.

UpSkill Houston Unites Partners to Overcome Barriers

The Greater Houston Partnership believes that broad and meaningful employer leadership is necessary to bridge the divide between employers’ demands and workforce needs. The Partnership committed to address the region’s skills gap by establishing the UpSkill Houston initiative to help employers find the right talent when and where they are needed and to help individuals gain the right skills and credentials to access the good jobs employers offer. 

Since 2014, UpSkill Houston has mobilized leaders from more than 200 prominent businesses, K-12 districts, community colleges, community-based organizations, and public agencies to work collectively to understand — and overcome — the barriers to attracting, training, placing, and growing qualified workers in good careers that are vital to the region’s global competitiveness.

Already UpSkill Houston and its partners have demonstrated how, working collectively, they can prepare incoming workers for good careers in vital industries, reskill incumbent workers for changing occupations, create shared prosperity for area families, and enable high-demand industries to thrive. 

Examples of efforts by UpSkill Houston and it partners to address talent pipeline challenges, include: 

ATTRACT: Working initially with partners in the construction, health science, petrochemical, and transportation industries, UpSkill Houston has created a series of videos and resources that showcase for students, parents, and workers seeking new opportunities a variety of good careers that don’t require a four-year college degree. The videos are available at UpSkillMyLife.org. 

TRAIN: MAREK recently partnered with Houston Independent School District and Houston Community College (HCC) to enable high school students to earn industry-recognized Level 1 certificates from HCC and drywall credentials through work experience at MAREK by the time they graduate with their high school diplomas. MAREK’s pre-apprenticeship program is patterned after a similar program developed by TRIO Electric with HCC and Spring Branch Independent School District. 

PLACE:  Since its founding in 2014, NextOp has placed approximately 2,100 “middle-enlisted” veterans — most without a four-year college degree — in meaningful careers, by connecting employers’ need for job-ready candidates with service members’ ability to succeed at a different mission, with different resources. NextOp helps employers recognize veterans’ talents and notice them in a candidate pool, while coaching veterans to describe their skills in a way employers value. 
 

 

UpSkill Houston and its partners have built a strong foundation, yet there is more work to be done. We need employers to articulate, with a collective voice, the skills and competencies they need in their workers. We need educational partners to adapt and improve curricula and prepare students for the good jobs that don’t require four years of college. We need community-based organizations to continuously improve their programs that prepare their clients for these good jobs.
Through UpSkill Houston programs, regional leaders share ideas with national thought leaders, such as Joseph B. Fuller, Harvard Business School professor and co-director of the school’s Managing the Future of Work project.

“We all go to lots of meetings where we talk about what needs to be fixed but rarely do individuals own the work to make something happen. It’s very impressive how UpSkill Houston has been able to bring everyone together to accomplish common goals.”


Linda Aldred
Texas Children’s Hospital

“The minute I heard there was an opportunity to leverage what the Greater Houston Partnership was doing to make our industry better and our company better, joining UpSkill Houston was a no-brainer.”


Daniel M. Gilbane
Gilbane Building Co.

“I am sitting in Alief Independent School District watching my students' lives change because of efforts like this.”


HD Chambers
Alief Independent School District

“UpSkill Houston helped us build relationships across sectors and made sure we were all talking about the same issues.”


Brenda Hellyer
San Jacinto Community College

UpSkillHouston.org

Career information for job seekers, educators and partners.

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UpSkillMyLife.org

Video series introducing careers and the pathways to entry.

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PetrochemWorks.com

Tool to match skills with careers in the petrochemical manufacturing industry

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Continued National Acclaim for UpSkill Houston

UpSkill Houston has been cited as an exemplar by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Talent Pipeline Management Initiative, the Communities that Work Partnership of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Aspen Institute, the Global Cities Initiative of the Brookings Institution and JP Morgan Chase, and United Way Worldwide. UpSkill Houston has hosted business and community leaders from Phoenix; Detroit; Tampa Bay, Fla.; and Buffalo-Niagara, NY to learn about our employer-led approach. Our work has been featured in The Houston ChronicleHouston Business JournalForbesThe Hill, and U.S. News & World Report. Our partners have received extensive coverage for their workforce development and educational advancement efforts from local and national press.

Recent News

Talent

UpSkill Houston Marks 10 Years of Empowering a Skilled Workforce

9/12/24
Since its launch in 2014, the Greater Houston Partnership’s UpSkill Houston initiative has become a cornerstone of regional workforce development, uniting leaders from over 200 businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations to create a skilled and resilient workforce for the Houston and Texas Gulf Coast region. Celebrating 10 years of impact, UpSkill Houston has focused on building talent pipelines essential to the growth and global competitiveness of local industries. UpSkill Houston's regional impact: 150 employers engaged in four industry sector collaboratives focused on building talent pipelines. Over 70 education, community and workforce organizations committed to collaborating with employers. More than 200,000 students impacted, showcasing how deeply intertwined UpSkill’s work is with both the business community and our educational institutions.  Fostering Industry and Education Partnerships One of UpSkill Houston’s key strengths lies in the partnerships it has fostered between industry and education. Through collaborations with Greater Houston Partnership members and partners, these efforts have spurred the development of workforce programs that not only meet the needs of local employers but also provide students with direct paths to sustainable careers. Examples include: San Jacinto College’s Center for Petrochemical Energy and Technology Alvin Community College and Lonza collaboration Industrial Craft Competition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo   A Catalyst for Economic Mobility  “UpSkill Houston plays an important role in the Partnership’s ‘Opportunity for All’ pillar, which aims to increase economic prosperity and mobility for residents while ensuring industries have the skilled workers needed to grow the region’s economy and strengthen its global competitiveness,” Katie Pryor, the Partnership’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said during the 10th anniversary conference.   In 2023, the Burning Glass Institute (BGI) selected the Greater Houston and Texas Gulf Coast region to be its partner site for its Jobs That Mobilize (JTM) initiative. The initiative is testing and deploying a new data-driven approach that uses skills adjacencies to help workers achieve greater mobility in the Houston region. BGI’s research has uncovered several key insights: On average, skills-based transitions provide a 15 percent wage increase between origin roles and JTM roles.  JTM roles provide long-term mobility for workers.  Roles often expand talent pools for employers by twice or three times more. According to BGI, 37 percent of the skills requirements for a given occupation have changed over the past five years. BGI President Matt Sigelman provided three things the Houston region must do to ensure growth and economic opportunity: Know what talent you will need and where the gaps lie.   Develop a strategy for targeted upskilling and reskilling.  Grow the pie by tapping hidden talent pools and playing your whole team.   Preparing for Houston’s Future Workforce As the regional economy transitions from industrial into a knowledge-based, technology-enabled economy, UpSkill Houston will continue its leadership in driving a skills-first approach that meets the changing demands of employers. “Our human capital is the Houston region’s single greatest asset,” Peter Beard, Sr. Vice President of regional workforce development, said. “Our workforce, whether we cultivate and develop it here in the region or attract it from other parts of the country or world, our workers are the backbone, brainpower, innovation, and ultimately, they are the power that drives and grows our economy.” As UpSkill Houston enters its second decade, the initiative remains committed to ensuring that Houston’s workforce is equipped with the skills needed to thrive in the region’s evolving economy, while continuing to drive inclusive economic growth for all residents. See how UpSkill Houston's decade of collaboration continues to shape the future of workforce mobility and drive economic growth for our region. Learn more about how you can get engaged in UpSkill.
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Digital Technology

AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance Expands to Texas

7/25/24
[PRESS RELEASE] - The tech industry in the state of Texas is booming, with a growing demand for skilled workers in Cloud/IT support, software development and data analytics. According to LinkedIn, there are over 8,000 tech jobs currently unfilled in the state of Texas. To address this talent gap, AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance is expanding into Texas with support from key collaborators across industry, education and government with the goal of helping to modernize tech programs of study at higher education institutions, connecting learners to in-demand tech jobs and supporting the development of a highly-skilled tech workforce in the Lone Star State. "As the pace of technological change advances in every market, the need for a globally diverse, digitally skilled pipeline has never been more important. The expansion of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance into Texas further demonstrates our commitment to bring together government, education, industry and nonprofits to address this critical need and enable future economic growth," said Valerie Singer, AWS Global Education Lead. The initial launch of the Tech Alliance in Texas focuses on the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas. These two major hubs are home to a diverse array of employers seeking tech talent and a robust system of educational institutions ready to prepare the next generation of Cloud and IT professionals. This launch represents a critical step in addressing the talent gap in the state's tech industry. Four of the state's higher education institutions have come together as part of the region's initial launch: Texas State University Houston Community College Dallas College Kilgore College Several of the state's most innovative companies will collaborate with AWS to identify talent needs, provide real-world learning experiences for students and hire qualified candidates into tech roles. These employers include Brooksource Corestack DLZP Group JP Morgan Chase Tanches Global Management TEKsystems "JP Morgan Chase has been deeply ingrained in the Texas community for more than a century and a half, tracing its origins back to the First National Bank of Houston," said Stacey Laurent, Vice President and Lead Technical Program Manager for JP Morgan Chase. "We prioritize investing in our community's individuals. As proud members of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, we eagerly anticipate contributing to the worldwide movement that revitalizes tech education and fosters a diverse, skilled pool of talent, enriching the landscape of Texas. Diversity stands as a cornerstone of our values at JP Morgan Chase; it is essential for fostering innovation and progress." Recently, Texas has been recognized for its innovative approach to aligning education policy to its economic goals. Central to these policies is the push to ensure post-secondary programming leads to high quality career pathways for Texans. This alignment of education, workforce and economic development goals fits perfectly with the goals of the Tech Alliance and provides a unique partnership opportunity with the state. To ensure that the program continues to amplify the state's priorities, AWS will work closely with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. AWS has a long history of collaborating with organizations in Texas to advance workforce development and skills attainment initiatives. Participation in the Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston Executive Committee and the Dallas Regional Chamber's Board of Directors has helped position AWS as a regional voice in workforce and economic development. These organizations, along with Alcantar Strategies, will partner with AWS to leverage their extensive networks and community connections to promote Tech Alliance programs and connect learners to opportunities. Through its employer-led UpSkill Houston initiative, the Greater Houston Partnership has invested heavily in advancing the skills and opportunities for Houstonians, ensuring employers have the skilled talent they need to grow and compete," said Peter Beard, Senior Vice President of Regional Workforce Development for the Greater Houston Partnership. "Collaborating with AWS as a member of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance will amplify the work we are already accomplishing in Houston and advance the alignment of our talent pipelines to in-demand technology jobs in all industries." "The Dallas Regional Chamber is focused on improving the education, talent and workforce pipeline to support a high-quality life for all people in the Dallas Region," said Elizabeth Caudill McClain, Senior Vice President of Talent Strategies at the Dallas Regional Chamber. "The launch of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance poses an exciting opportunity for business leaders across Texas to join together to address the skills gap for high-demand IT jobs while also supporting the economic mobility of Texans - a win-win for the future of our companies and communities." AWS launched the Tech Alliance in June 2023 at the DC Public Sector Summit, bringing together a global coalition of higher education institutions, employers, government and collaborating organizations to address the tech skills gap. The Tech Alliance is currently represented in nine countries (USA, Egypt, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, India, Colombia and Brazil), with four other US states engaged (New York, Illinois, Washington and West Virginia). Since its global launch, the Tech Alliance has connected more than 23,000 learners from over 900 higher education institutions with over 350 employers. To learn more or get involved, please visit the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance homepage.
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Workforce Development

Greater Houston Partnership Honored with 2024 EDO Award for Workforce Development

5/8/24
The Greater Houston Partnership was recognized for its workforce development work, winning Business Facilities' 2024 Economic Development Organization award in the large economic development organization category.  The economic development publication’s awards recognize economic development organizations “growing their communities” and recognizes “initiatives delivering results toward capital investment, job creation, quality of life and more.” Six other economic development organizations were recognized for their initiatives in the same category.  UpSkill Houston, set to celebrate its 10-year anniversary this fall, mobilizes the collective action of more than 200 critical business, education and community leaders developing the pipeline of skilled workers employers need and creating better pathways to opportunity for all Houstonians. As part of its mission, UpSkill Houston bolsters talent-driven economic development efforts across the Houston region in focus areas like life sciences, energy, as well as aerospace and aviation.  “We are excited about the recognition for the framework we’ve developed and we look forward to bringing our goals to fruition for the people of Houston,” said Peter Beard, SVP of Regional Workforce Development at the Greater Houston Partnership. “The future is very bright for all who contribute to our region’s dynamic economy.”  Educational partnerships have flourished in the Houston region in recent years, with examples like San Jacinto College’s EDGE Center, which partners with the Houston Spaceport to train professionals for roles in innovative space enterprises like Intuitive Machines, Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace. In 2023, the 105,572 square-foot Intuitive Machines Lunar Production and Operations Facility opened at the Houston Spaceport, ensuring direct access for these trainees to groundbreaking innovation at the forefront of the private space sector.  The strides made to bolster workforce development have already earned Houston further opportunities, with the Department of Energy taking notice. Houston’s selection as a clean hydrogen hub was spurred by collective investment in the workforce infrastructure from UpSkill Houston, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI), the Center for Houston’s Future (CHF) and Accenture. The effort aimed at mapping the anticipated 20,000 future local hydrogen careers and providing opportunity for energy transition inclusion and social mobility to disadvantaged communities.  UpSkill Houston has established itself as a game changer for regional economic development, producing workforce solutions in some of the most critical sectors of tomorrow. This impact will be seen as Houston continues to elevate its stature on the world stage as a destination for opportunity and prosperity for all.  Learn more about the UpSkill Houston workforce development initiative.
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Additional Resources

Find reports and other information and resources tied to UpSkill Houston. 

This report highlights the disruption that greater automation and increased requirements for digital skills is causing for regional workers and the importance of helping workers build digital skills and identify career progressions for occupations that can lead to economic opportunity.

A recent labor market report underscores the long-term and critical role of middle-skill occupations in positioning the Houston region to be competitive in the 21st century and creating economic opportunity for its residents.

This series presents conversations with business and community leaders, policy makers, and leading thinkers on the key workforce issues confronting the Greater Houston region.

Business, education, and community organization leaders highlight how participating in the Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston initiative has strengthened workforce development efforts through collaborative action.

This labor market study highlights the prevalence and growth of middle-skill jobs within Greater Houston’s economy and analyzes how automation and increased digital skills are transforming the nature of work.

This video from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation shows how UpSkill is leading the way to close the skills gap using lessons learned in supply chain management.

UpSkill Houston's "My Life As" campaign provides stories of workers in high demand, growth opportunity careers.

By contributing to the Employer Champion Campaign, companies are setting Houston on a better path and improving the skilled workforce and economy for generations to come.

A comprehensive look at the work and results of UpSkill Houston.

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View Past Editions of the UpSkill Update Newsletter

SEP
2022
Getting Houston Back on Track, Plus Education that Prepares the Workforce of the Future
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AUG
2022
Energy Transition & Opportunity for Workforce Equity Evolution
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JUN
2022
Addressing Texas Skills Needs & Tapping into Workforce STARs
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MAY
2022
Higher Education & Workforce Recovery
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APR
2022
Community Colleges & Sourcing Skilled Talent
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MAR
2022
Internships, Career Exploration & Workforce STARs
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JAN
2022
Expanding Equitable Career Opportunities
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DEC
2021
2022 Employment Forecast, Building Talent & Reviewing Higher Ed Funding
View
OCT
2021
Labor Market Update; Skilling Opportunities for Veterans, Young Adults & More
View
SEP
2021
Getting Houston Back on Track
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AUG
2021
Understanding & tapping into today's talent and tomorrow's
View
JUL
2021
Houston a leader in innovative recovery initiatives
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JUN
2021
Apprenticeships and developing the future workforce to aid recovery
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MAY
2021
How employers will view talent and skills in post-pandemic economy; Plus UpSkill Works Forum returns
View
APR
2021
Employment recovery; Secrets to Starting your career right revealed
View
MAR
2021
Unemployment revisited; Legislative update; Employer-education partnerships
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FEB
2021
Texas plans recovery efforts, builds workforce strategies
View
JAN
2021
Economic recovery underscores urgency in upskilling
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NOV
2020
Spotlight on higher ed, adult learners
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OCT
2020
Re-imagining career-relevant education; Student awareness of good careers
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SEP
2020
COVID-19 & innovation in career exploration; Talent Finance initiative
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AUG
2020
New "My Life As..." career stories; Houston expands digital alliance; talent finance discussions
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JUL
2020
Navigating the changing nature of work; Reskilling through higher ed
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JUN
2020
COVID-19 impact on Houston’s workforce; HCC unveils job-connected training portal
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MAY
2020
COVID-19 presents short-term problems, long-term opportunities; New funding for workforce development announced
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APR
2020
UpSkill Houston partners on animated soft skill series
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MAR
2020
COVID-19 and workforce disruption
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FEB
2020
Career coaching outcomes examined; Transportation leaders eye education programs
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JAN
2020
Putting talent first and making Houston a great global city; Connecting with jobseekers
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DEC
2019
UpSkill Houston drives action, looks ahead to the future
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NOV
2019
UpSkill benefits from elite fellowship program
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OCT
2019
Embracing change to create a competitive edge; Leadership reviews new 5-year plan
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Executive Partners