Pictured left to right; front row: Henry Guajardo, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions; Chris Heitzmann, Human Resources Director, Caterpillar; Carole Kolle, Center Director, Workforce Solutions; Chester Sackett, Board Vice-Chair, Workforce Solutions; back row: Mike Milson, Director of Business Services, Workforce Solutions; and Mike Wall, Board Chair, Workforce Solutions.

Caterpillar Inc. and Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent

Honored at Texas Workforce Conference

 
        Caterpillar Inc. received the Employer Award of Excellence for the Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent (Workforce Solutions) area at the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) 16th Annual Texas Workforce Conference held November 28–30 in Grapevine. The Employer Award of Excellence honors private sector employers that are actively involved with their local workforce board and have made a positive impact on employers, workers and the community.
 
       When Caterpillar built its new $200 million state-of-the-art hydraulic excavator manufacturing facility in Victoria, it used the services of Workforce Solutions to find many of its skilled workers. Workforce Solutions provided Caterpillar with nearly 60 informational, testing and hiring sessions, helping to recruit and assess future workers during construction of the 1.1 million square-foot facility.
 
       Once fully operational, approximately 800 people will work at the Caterpillar North American Hydraulic Excavator facility, tripling the current capacity of hydraulic excavators produced by Caterpillar in the United States and doubling the number of Caterpillar employees in the country who make excavators. Caterpillar worked with Workforce Solutions, Victoria College and TWC to craft an $800,000 Skills Development Fund grant to train more than 380 new employees.
 
       Workforce Solutions was recognized for outstanding board performance, including incentive awards for the Workforce Investment Act Adult and Dislocated Worker Training-Related Employment and Unemployment Insurance Claimant Reemployment programs.   These TWC performance awards recognize boards that display increased accountability and improved efficiencies. Monetary awards for achievement in these categories will be used to enhance workforce service programs during the next year.
 
       “The Texas workforce system demonstrates that successful partnerships and innovative solutions help put Texans back to work and improve business opportunities for employers,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “I congratulate Caterpillar Inc. and Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent for making positive contributions to their communities, employers, and the state of Texas.”
 
       Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent is one of 28 local workforce boards located throughout the state. Golden Crescent serves Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca and Victoria counties. The primary goal of TWC and the workforce boards is to respond to needs of Texas employers and workers through locally designed, market-driven workforce development initiatives and services. All employers, workers and job seekers are eligible to take advantage of these services.