What does Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area actually do? Which industries are hiring? How can you stand out in today's job market? And how can employers find the talent they need?

In this special Q&A episode of the FutureReady NextForce Podcast, Kelly Moreno, Chief Solutions Officer for Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), answers some of the most common questions from job seekers, employers, students, parents, and community members across Central Texas.

Whether you're looking for your next career opportunity, considering a career change, growing your business, or simply trying to understand today's workforce, you'll find practical advice, expert insights, and local resources you can put to work right away.

At WSRCA, we're committed to connecting people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity. Whether you're launching your first career, making a fresh start, or building your workforce, this episode will help you navigate today's job market with confidence.

🔗 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com

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About FutureReady NextForce

FutureReady NextForce is the official podcast of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), exploring the trends, partnerships, and people shaping the future of work across Central Texas. Each episode features conversations with workforce leaders, educators, employers, and community partners working to connect people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity.

🌐 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com

Why should veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, job seekers, and employers attend? What free career resources are available long after the event ends?

In this episode of the FutureReady NextForce Podcast, Kelly Moreno, Chief Solutions Officer for Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), is joined by Isaac Marquez-Diaz and Keith Callands from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to preview one of Central Texas' premier hiring events while highlighting the employment services available to the military community throughout the year.

Together, they discuss:

• What makes the upcoming Job Fair-Con unique
• Why veterans are such valuable employees
• How employers can connect with highly skilled veteran talent
• Career resources available through the Texas Veterans Commission and WSRCA
• Tips to help job seekers get the most from the event
• How military spouses and transitioning service members can successfully navigate the civilian workforce

Whether you're looking for your next opportunity, preparing to transition out of military service, hiring talented employees, or simply exploring workforce resources available in Central Texas, this episode is full of practical advice you can put to work immediately.

Job Fair-Con 2026

📅 Wednesday, July 22, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
📍 Kalahari Convention Center
3001 Kalahari Blvd., Suite 5 (Lower Level)
Round Rock, TX 78665

Job Fair-Con is free to attend and open to veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, all job seekers, their families, and employers. More than 200 employers and community organizations will be on hand with job opportunities, career resources, resume assistance, and workforce services.

Register for Job Fair-Con

🎟️ https://bit.ly/wsrcajobfaircon

Learn More

• Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com
• CareerReady Central Texas: https://careerreadyctx.com
• Texas Veterans Commission: https://www.tvc.texas.gov

Our Thanks to Our Podcast Sponsor

The FutureReady NextForce Podcast is proudly sponsored by IBEW Local 520. Their commitment to workforce development, registered apprenticeships, and skilled trades helps make these conversations possible while supporting the next generation of Central Texas workers.

Learn more about IBEW Local 520: https://www.ibew520.org/

Subscribe to FutureReady NextForce

Don't forget to follow FutureReady NextForce on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode exploring the people, partnerships, and ideas shaping the future of work across Central Texas.

FutureReady NextForce is proudly produced by Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area and sponsored by IBEW Local 520, supporting workforce development, apprenticeships, and skilled careers across Central Texas.

About FutureReady NextForce

FutureReady NextForce is the official podcast of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), exploring the trends, partnerships, and people shaping the future of work across Central Texas. Each episode features conversations with workforce leaders, educators, employers, and community partners working to connect people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity.

🌐 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com

Central Texas is growing fast. But what does that mean for jobs, skills, and the future workforce?

In this episode of the FutureReady NextForce Podcast, leaders from Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area talk about why workforce forecasting matters now and how employers, workers, and communities can prepare for the future of work.

As industries evolve and the region continues to grow, planning ahead is no longer optional. Workforce forecasting helps communities anticipate workforce needs, align training with real jobs, and help people build skills that will remain valuable in a changing economy.

In this conversation, the team breaks down:

• What workforce forecasting actually means
• Why future skills matter more than ever
• The challenges employers are facing right now
• How workers can stay competitive in a changing job market
• How Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area supports employers and jobseekers across the region

You will also hear how the FutureReady NextForce Podcast will explore workforce issues this season through leadership conversations, real stories from across Central Texas, and insights from the people building the region’s workforce.

For more information about our services, please visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com

About FutureReady NextForce

FutureReady NextForce is the official podcast of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), exploring the trends, partnerships, and people shaping the future of work across Central Texas. Each episode features conversations with workforce leaders, educators, employers, and community partners working to connect people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity.

🌐 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com

A report released this year by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Women’s Bureau revealed a striking dilemma that many Central Texas families already know: Access to high-quality child care is vital to the success of our workforce, but the cost of early-learning programs is often untenable for families across all care types, age groups, and county population sizes.

Families with younger children across the United States pay a lot of money for child care. Whether that care is focused on full-day early learning for infants and toddlers, or after-school care for children up to age 12, a large share of a family’s income goes to paying for child care services. How do we better empower families in Central Texas to upskill and pursue careers in high demand while they are struggling to identify affordable child care arrangements with high-quality providers focused on developing the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of children?

Join Future Ready NextForce Podcast Host Diane Tackett, Chief Operating Officer with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), and her guests, Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer with WSRCA, Madison Mattise, Director of Pre-K Partnerships with the United Way for Greater Austin, and Butch Aggen, Owner of the Goddard School of Cedar Park, as they identify existing barriers to success that working families are facing as they look to enroll their children in care, as well as opportunities and solutions available to help the entire family succeed.

About FutureReady NextForce

FutureReady NextForce is the official podcast of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), exploring the trends, partnerships, and people shaping the future of work across Central Texas. Each episode features conversations with workforce leaders, educators, employers, and community partners working to connect people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity.

🌐 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com

A quarter of the regional population of Central Texas is under 18, and many will be entering the workforce this year. How do we better empower these youth for Central Texas careers in high demand? Join Future Ready NextForce Podcast Host Diane Tackett, Chief Operating Officer with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), and her guests, Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer with WSRCA, Camille Clay, Senior Director of College and Career Transition Programs with Leander Independent School District, and LaKissa Bright, Founder and President of Ladders For Leaders, as they review current challenges and solutions to connect classrooms to careers and introduce Texas youth to the world of work.

About FutureReady NextForce

FutureReady NextForce is the official podcast of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), exploring the trends, partnerships, and people shaping the future of work across Central Texas. Each episode features conversations with workforce leaders, educators, employers, and community partners working to connect people with careers, businesses with talent, and communities with opportunity.

🌐 Learn more: https://workforcesolutionsrca.com