Donate
Request Assistance

Workforce & Career development

Connecting individuals with employers

Employing Austin one candidate at a time

The Workforce & Career Development (WFCD) program empowers individuals and families to become financially self-sufficient. The Workforce and Career Development division connects individuals seeking employment with their next employers. The WFCD division connects you directly to employers like Gracie Woods, Spectrum, Dell, and Tesla! A direct connection that can reduce your job search from months to minutes.

  • Career counseling
  • Employment assistance
  • Professional development workshops
  • Occupational training
  • Financial literacy and,
  • Long-term retention strategies.
View job board

"Our vision is Every American has access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits."

2025 Urban League Empowerment Goal

Our Programs

Pathway to a career

is the one stop shop occupational training that you didn’t know you needed! Providing hands on, at your pace with one-on-one styled learning techniques. Improving basic digital literacy skills, to resume building and prompts of Open AI Chat GPT.

Details

  • 2-week program
  • Offered: In-Person: Mon-Thurs / 10am-2pm OR Hybrid: Tues-Fri / 4pm-6pm
    • **Prerequisite for Hybrid program: full internet coverage, tablet/laptop/desktop accessibility, basic computer literacy
  • 90% of participants earn job interviews within the same week, 99% earn and feel comfortable with
  • Daily On-site/Walk-In resume upgrade and interview prep assistance during non-class days

Job Readiness

Readiness means that individuals have the necessary skills, attitudes, information, perspective, intellectual, and social capital necessary to achieve employment.

  • web-based computer literacy programming
  • workplace soft-skills training

Occupational training

  • Healthcare
    • Certified Nurse Assistant Training
  • Construction/OSHA Training
  • Welding
  • Customer Service & Administration
  • Hospitality
  • Information Technology

Learn More

Our Programs

Young Adult Reentry Partnership

The purpose of this program is to partner organizations that provide reentry services with community colleges to provide education and training services to improve the employment outcomes for young adults involved in the criminal justice system.

Eligibility

  • 18-24 years old
  • High school drop out (or currently involved with the juvenile or adult criminal justice system)
  • Currently/previously incarcerated
  • Under the supervision of the criminal justice system
  • Under a diversion program as an alternative to prosecution
  • Is low-income as defined by WIOA. Sec 3(36) (A-B)
  • Eligible for Community College
  • Resides or is returning to the targeted geographic area
  • Eligible to work in the United States

Admission Process

  • Get assigned to a Case Manager
  • Complete intake process
  • Complete the Kuder Assessment
  • Complete the online community college application
  • Speak to a community college advisor

Learn More

Our Programs

Urban Pathway Home 3

The Urban Pathway Home 3 Program is designed to provide individuals in state correctional facilities & county jails with workforce services prior to release.

By transitioning participants into reentry programs, this ensures that returning citizens are prepared to meet the needs of the labor market with skills valued by employers in their community.

Eligibility

  • 18 years old
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Currently incarcerated or have been convicted under federal, state, or local law
  • Housed in the county jail or state/local correctional adult facility (*excludes federal or juvenile facilities)
  • A release date scheduled between 20 - 270 days of enrollment
  • Upon release, participants will be returning to the targeted area identified in the application

Pre-release

Services must include:

  • Job preparation
  • Individual development plans
  • Career exploration & planning
  • Skill training, counseling, job readiness, resume writing, and workplace etiquette
  • Assistance in connecting individuals to social services & in obtaining state identification requirements for employment

Outcomes

  • Partnerships with National Urban League's existing industry and trade associations
  • Strategies, including expungement, that will
    • Assist in increased employment opportunites
    • Reduce recidivism
    • Improve the transition as individuals return to society
  • High job placement rates in
    • Construction
    • Manufacturing
    • Transportation

Learn More

 

Our Programs

Returning Citizens Advancement Program

Returning Citizens Advancement Program (RCAP) is a program developed specifically to recruit and serve formerly incarcerated individuals (returning citizens) who have experienced exclusion and barriers to housing, education, and employment leading to an improved quality of life. RCAP training operates in a cohort-style environment where peer support is used as an asset to keep participants engaged. Development, learning, training occurs at the Austin Area Urban League Workforce Development Lab with the assistance of community collaborators.

*This is a four-week course at no cost to the participant.
Learn More

Building Austin's Workforce

To ready African American and other under-employed populations for meaningful employment and a career utilizing a set of evidence-based standards, impactful local and state partnering, innovative content, asset-based approaches, professional development, and practical tools specifically designed for, and unique to, the Urban League Movement. In order to grow into productive, contributing, professionals one requires a range of developmentally appropriate supports, services, and opportunities, only some of which are provided in other occupational training programs.

Contact us

Contact us to learn more about our services, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support the movement.