Community Magazine

Community-Fall2025

IPC International Community magazine an association member publication

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3 6 C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E FA L L 2 0 2 5 B I T S & B Y T E S Beyond Federal Dollars Employers in the electronics sector face constant pressure to secure skilled talent. For years, federal funding has been the pri- mary driver of workforce develop- ment initiatives. Yet, with federal dollars increasingly constrained, the most impactful opportunities are now being found at the state and local levels. As director of workforce grants and funding at the Global Elec- tronics Association, I identify and secure resources that help employers strengthen their tal- ent pipelines through upskilling, apprenticeship, and workforce Cory Blaylock (back row, center), director of workforce partnership for the Global Electronics Association, visits with staff at DETEX, which has aggressively pursued an apprenticeship program. The United States has more than 550 local workforce devel- opment boards operating under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Togeth- er, they manage nearly $3 billion in federal funding each year. What makes them unique is that each board is led by a majority of local business representatives, ensuring that employers them- selves help design training pro- grams to meet the real needs of their regional economies. How state and local funding is powering workforce growth By Victoria Hawkins, M.A.Ed., Director, Workforce Grants and Funding, Global Electronics Association Fun Fact! development. Today, it's clearer than ever that state and local pro- grams present some of the more powerful and timely opportuni- ties: flexible solutions that em- ployers can leverage right now to meet pressing workforce needs. Spotlight on Texas: DETEX Corporation This spring, DETEX Corporation was awarded a Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Apprentice- ship Critical Skills Initiative Grant to expand training capacity. With this funding, DETEX is investing in Registered Apprenticeships,

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