Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas gave a briefing to the City of Dallas Workforce Education and Equity Committee on January 16, 2025, outlining its core programs, recent awards and a public comment period for its 2025 state plan.

The briefing said Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas is a nonprofit that administers federal and state workforce funding for Dallas County, operating on a roughly $180,000,000 annual budget and overseeing eight workforce centers across the county. "We are the convener of the community, connecting business to our job seekers and partners in economic development," said Demetria Robinson, executive vice president of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas.

Why it matters: Committee members said the agency’s programs — in particular child care and training tied to higher-wage occupations — directly affect low-income residents and the city’s broader economic goals. The briefing reported that Workforce Solutions funds child care for approximately 16,000 children per day and partners with Dallas College and school districts on adult education and training.

Program snapshot: Robinson and senior research staff Richard Perez described the agency’s major program streams: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services for youth, adults and dislocated workers; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) employment services; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements; trade and employment programs; and adult education and literacy. The presenters said WIOA placed about 550 people in occupational training in the last reporting period and served 12,129 adults and dislocated workers and roughly 1,046 youth through WIOA-funded activities. Adult education and literacy programs served 6,585 people who received at least 12 hours of instruction.

Child care and quality: The presentation said Workforce Solutions manages two primary ways of supporting child care: (1) quality-assurance work with participating providers through the Texas Rising Star rating system, and (2) direct child-care scholarships for parents in qualifying training or employment. The briefing said the agency works with roughly 637 providers countywide; 178 of those providers have the Texas Rising Star level 4 rating, the highest tier. "Our main support service is child care, which is about 80% of our budget," Robinson said.

Employer partnerships and awards: Workforce Solutions leaders described employer collaborations — including hiring events and regular job fairs — and noted national and state recognition. The agency cited a National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) award for collaboration with the Dallas Regional Chamber and a Texas Workforce Commission award recognizing large-employer hiring at the Walmart Lancaster facility. Perez said the agency served about 31,000 job seekers and supported 8,852 employers last year.

Planning and outreach: Workforce Solutions said it will open its annual state plan for public comment on Feb. 19 and is beginning an internal strategic-planning process led by a consultant, Tip Strategies, with a planned seven-month timeline and an anticipated May 2025 completion. Robinson said the agency is targeting occupations that offer at least $15 an hour as entry-level on-ramps into higher-paying careers in health care, IT and logistics, while acknowledging that the city’s living-wage standard is higher than that threshold.

Committee questions and follow-up: Council members pressed the agency on timelines for materials and on alignment with the city’s living-wage goals. Committee members requested improved distribution timing for presentation materials and said they want follow-up on partnerships with employers on wage progression, and on communication strategies to increase public awareness of services.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the briefing; staff said they would follow up with additional information and distribution of updated materials.