Commissioner Aaron Demerson recently visited Kerrville, Texas, to meet with top employers, discuss workforce trends, and highlight the state’s economic development, workforce, and education initiatives. This report provides an overview of Demerson’s visit and the key takeaways from his discussions with a few of our local employers and institutions.
All About Commissioner Aaron Demerson
Aaron Demerson serves as the Commissioner Representing Employers for the Texas Workforce Commission. Governor Greg Abbott appointed him to the three-member Commission on August 20, 2019. In his role, Commissioner Demerson serves as an advocate for over 650,000 Texas employers and over 3 million small businesses. Commissioner Demerson’s team is devoted to serving as the first line of resources for all Texas employers. His office provides a variety of tools including employment law conferences and an employer hotline to help businesses start, grow and thrive in Texas. Demerson is also devoted to supporting the economic development and education that helps advance the skilled workforce that Texas demands.
Meeting with Top Employers
During his visit to Kerrville, Commissioner Demerson met with several top employers in the area. One of the employers he met with was Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, a company that specializes in manufacturing wiring harnesses for airplanes. Demerson discussed the importance of workforce development and how the state can help businesses find qualified workers. He also highlighted the various workforce initiatives and programs available through TWC.
Another employer that Demerson met with was Schreiner University, a private university in Kerrville. He discussed the importance of education and workforce training and how they can help bridge the skills gap. Demerson also discussed the various workforce initiatives and programs available for students and recent graduates, such as the Texas Internship Challenge.
Demerson also met with Peterson Health, a healthcare provider in Kerrville and one of the county’s major employers. They discussed the challenges facing the healthcare industry, particularly in finding qualified healthcare workers. Demerson highlighted the various workforce initiatives and programs available to healthcare providers, such as the We Hire Vets program.
Workforce Trends
During his visit to Kerrville, Commissioner Demerson also discussed the current workforce trends in Texas. He highlighted three key trends and discussed how the state is addressing these challenges.
Trend 1: Where is the Workforce?
One of the major challenges facing Texas employers is finding qualified workers to fill open positions. Demerson said the following issues face employers struggling to fill jobs: employee demand for more flexibility and remote work, the trend of choosing multiple sources of income (for example, working part-time by day and driving for a rideshare service at night), the great resignation and silent quitting, and the lack of affordable and quality childcare available to full-time working parents and caregivers.
Trend 2: Creative Ways to Find Your Workforce
Demerson also discussed creative ways for employers to find their workforce. He highlighted several workforce initiatives and programs available to employers, including the We Hire Vets program, the We Hire Ability program, the Texas Internship Challenge, and programs for youth aging out of foster care.
Trend 3: The Secret Sauce of Texas
Demerson also discussed the “secret sauce” of Texas and how the state’s economic development, workforce, and education initiatives work together to create a thriving business environment. He highlighted Texas’ recent accolades, such as winning the Governor’s Cup for the 11th year in a row, being named the Best State for Business for the 18th year in a row, and being the top state for Fortune 500 headquarters with 54. Demerson also discussed how Texas is a top state for investments in infrastructure and corporate facility projects and is younger and faster-growing than the nation. More than 80% of Texas residents born in the state stay here, making Texas one of the “stickiest” states for residents to live and work in.
Commissioner Aaron Demerson’s visit to Kerrville highlighted the importance of workforce development and education as well as the challenges facing Texas employers in finding qualified workers. Thanks to its multiple workforce initiatives and thriving professional environment, Texas (especially the Texas Hill Country) will no doubt continue to be one of the top places in the country to do business.
