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Ready to Work Program gets $49.5 million boost from San Antonio City Council

See what’s to come for this workforce city program in the new fiscal year

San Antonio City Hall

The San Antonio City Council approved the Ready to Work On the Job Training (OJT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) pilot programs on April 11, 2024. OJT is for workers newly hired or have been hired in the last six months, and IWT is for employees who have been at the companies for six months or longer.

Photo by SATXtoday team

The San Antonio City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Ready to Work budget, totaling $49.5 million. This workforce development program facilitates training + education through four prime partners, and community collaboratives that work closely with the program to foster and meet program goals.

Ready to Work explained

In 2020, San Antonio voters approved this $200 million program — funded by a 1/8-cent sales tax. Local employers have pledged support for the program to provide guidance relating to in-demand, well-paid occupations, and relevant training. Some of these fields include healthcare, information technologies, and manufacturing.

In order to apply to the program, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be at least 18 years old.
  • Reside within the city of San Antonio, unless connected with the military. See additional details.
  • Permitted to work in the US.
  • Household income can’t be over 250% of the federal poverty guideline — currently less than $37,650 for an individual or $78,000 for a household of four.
  • Willing to train and succeed in a career.

Learn how you can apply today. Fun fact: Over 1,600 people have successfully completed the program.

Budget details

This budget will run from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, with $6 million allocated for the newest work-based learning model programs, On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT). These programs provide funding for companies seeking to train for specific roles that need to be filled.

Here are some fast stats about the pilot programs:

  • 33 businesses and 1,371 workers plan to participate.
  • 23 employers and 720 workers for OJT.
  • 21 employers and 651 workers in IWT.

Through these two pilot programs, employers can directly impact their workforce and have the opportunity to increase an employee’s earning capacity.
Want to learn more? Sign up for the latest news about the Ready to Work program.

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