SAN ANTONIO – Although the unemployment rate in Bexar County has decreased since the start of the pandemic, many people are still in need of a job and possibly considering changing careers.
Romanita Matta-Barrera, the executive director of San Antonio Works, the workforce team within the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, wants you to know you’re not alone.
“And now more than ever, all of us have our respective core competencies and we are coming together sharing information that are really intended to help job seekers get back to work or find their what’s next,” she said.
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SA Works recently released a special edition quarterly jobs report, which focuses on helping people who may have become unemployed during the pandemic. For the first time, the report includes a “skills transfer” section.
“So, we wanted to ensure that San Antonians would pick up this report. Look at what are some of the skills that they have they could potentially pivot into a new career in a new sector or in a new occupation,” Matta-Barrera said.
Matta-Barrera said the report highlights industries that are hiring locally and that provide economic mobility opportunities. There are five industries that currently have in-demand occupations:
- Tech and cyber
- Manufacturing and aerospace
- Bioscience and health care
- Financial and professional services
- Construction and trades
According to the report, the top five in-demand occupations are truck drivers, registered nurses, customer service representatives, retail salespersons and software developers.
People in the food and service industry have suffered the most during the pandemic, according to the report. They’re also more likely to not have a high school degree; therefore, creating the need for targeted education and training to gain new skills.
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Matta-Barrera said their work is a collaborative effort with the city, county and other agencies or organizations to provide resources for anyone who has lost their job.
“And that can then help inform then these agencies that can help individuals transition into those jobs by assessing what are their interests and what are their skill sets and whether they may need short-term training or a little long-term training. And that’s where that ecosystem of workforce agencies will be really critical as we all step up together to help San Antonians,” she said.
You can read the full report here.