A Houston-based workforce initiative is creating new pathways to trade careers, offering approximately 170 hours of intensive training through an innovative program that combines skills development with comprehensive support services.
WorkTexas, launched in 2020 by co-founder Mike Feinberg, has established training centers at Gallery Furniture and the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department’s Opportunity Center, where local residents can access 11-week programs designed to prepare them for in-demand trades.
Meeting Local Workforce Needs
The organization’s approach starts with understanding employer requirements. “We start with the employer,” explains co-founder Yazmin Guerra. “If the employer is telling us they have a need and will hire a set number of students, we work together to establish a curriculum in a program that works for them and start the outreaching to fill that class.”
“We are employer-focused,” says Mike Feinberg. “Our mission is to help people get jobs, keep jobs, advance careers.” This employer-driven focus has shaped the program’s comprehensive curriculum, which includes training for welding, carpentry, plumbing, HVAC and building maintenance, commercial truck driving, and warehouse management. Recent expansions have introduced masonry and clinical medical assistant training, with an upcoming barber program in development.
Supporting Houston Families
Understanding that job training alone isn’t enough, WorkTexas has developed crucial support services for local families. In what Guerra describes as “a childcare desert where we serve the community,” the organization has established vital childcare support. “The majority of the people [here] are low-income, so they would qualify; and the [WorkTexas] team members support the parent in completing the necessary applications to qualify.”
Through federal and local funding and public-private partnerships, WorkTexas provides daytime care for more than 60 children of program participants and community members. “People need childcare to be able to go to work,” Guerra emphasizes.
Comprehensive Career Support
The program’s commitment extends well beyond basic job training. “A lot of people we train are one flat tire away from disaster,” Feinberg explains. “We can help everyone get a job based on their training; but you’re not going to do well in your job if you’re homeless or hungry, or your car stops working.”
To ensure long-term success, WorkTexas maintains ongoing relationships with graduates. “It is job coaching — which can be technical, or it can also turn into therapy at times,” says Feinberg. “We are proactively reaching out to all of them every six months [to ask] are you still in the same job? Are you switching jobs? Are you looking for a different job? What’s your salary? Do you need any help?”
Community Collaboration
The program has created what Feinberg calls a “sandbox” for community collaboration. “The people who are working on food, housing and physical health realize their work can only truly make a huge impact if people wind up having a sustainable career — [and] stop needing those services at some point down the road. There’s a symbiotic relationship here we’re tapping into that’s pretty neat.”
This collaborative approach defines the program’s operations. “WorkTexas makes it very clear that we are going to be intentional about the training and the services we provide,” Guerra explains. “We’re going to have these job search preparation workshops; we will have partners come in and provide support, and we expect them to leverage those resources. We will follow up with them for up to five years if needed — because we want to be able to do right by our mission, which is to help people get jobs, keep jobs, and advance in their careers.”
Revitalizing Trade Education
As vocational education makes a comeback in Houston, WorkTexas is helping to reshape its delivery. “[People] collectively realized that maybe it was a mistake to stop doing vocational ed in our high schools,” Feinberg reflects, adding that there’s been “a push to not have it come back as it used to be; but have it come back better.”
Through its combination of focused training, support services, and long-term career coaching, WorkTexas demonstrates how workforce development programs can create lasting impact. The organization’s approach to combining practical skills training with comprehensive support services offers a model for addressing both employment preparation and career sustainability in our community.
