THE WACO CHAMBER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
Our mission is to create the leaders and workforce of tomorrow by focusing on workforce development, leadership and education.
Workforce & Talent: A Year in Review
The Greater Waco Chamber is committed to recruiting, retaining, and strengthening the talent pipeline across the education and workforce systems to meet Greater Waco’s workforce needs now and into the future by creating opportunities for regional collaboration, aligning targeted skills with training offerings and developing programs to connect business to education.
Building Regional Collaboration
The Greater Waco Chamber convenes over 25 organizations across industry, education, government, and community-based organizations quarterly to enhance cross-sector communication and collaboration through a regional workforce and talent action plan. This action plan aligns shared goals and efforts to increase high value credential attainment and employment in targeted occupations.
Aligning Critical Job Skills with Education & Training Programs
Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) is an industry-led process that consistently and regularly identifies critical job skills and builds education and training programs around those needs. Over the past year, the Greater Waco Chamber used TPM to:
- Develop local high-demand job skill profiles.
- Share profiles with education and training partners to inform curriculum development.
Connecting Business to Education
The Business to Education initiative comprises the Greater Waco Chamber’s programs and events that support leadership development and career success for K-12 students and teachers through work-based learning.
2024 Impacts
135 students
participated in industry tours & job shadowing
8 students
completed paid summer internships
16 teachers
completed paid summer externships
214 students
were guided by 106 LEAD mentors
The Teacher Externship was such a beneficial experience not only as an educator but as an industry professional as well. Being able to work hand in hand with employers to tie in real world experiences to classroom lessons is something unique that students will enjoy and have a deeper appreciation for.
Justin Sanchez, Teacher, University High School, Waco ISD
How Your Support Helps
Your gift helps us advance our mission to grow and strengthen Greater Waco's workforce and talent pipeline.
$100
underwrites the cost of a senior attending the LEAD Senior trip
$250
underwrites the cost of a family to attend the LEAD Recognition Banquet
$500
underwrites the cost of a teacher externship stipend
$1,000
underwrites the cost of a student internship stipend
$2,500
underwrites the cost for a LEAD scholarship
Questions?
Vice President of Public Policy & Chamber Foundation
jhogan@wacochamber.com
254-757-5631
The Waco Chamber Community Development Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; all donations are tax-deductible as defined by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.