Fort Worth needs skilled workers. College partnerships aim to meet that demand

Supporting a student through college can take many forms. 

It can be providing childcare while a parent attends class. A paid internship. A ride to campus. Or someone to turn to for help. 

At an Oct. 6 higher education panel hosted by The Business Press, Fort Worth-area college and business leaders described how partnerships with employers, nonprofits and public agencies help students stay in school and prepare for careers. 

“Every single opportunity for a young person matters because it may be the one opportunity they need to break that educational and social cycle of poverty,” said James Hurley, Tarleton State University president. 

Steve Montgomery, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said those partnerships can also shape the region’s economic future. Finding and keeping skilled workers ranks among employers’ biggest challenges, he said. Fort Worth cannot keep relying on people moving to the area to fill jobs. 

“That’s not a sustainable model,” Montgomery said. “We really have to grow our talent here.”

For Autobahn Fort Worth, building that workforce started with a need for technicians and a visit to local classrooms. 

In 2023, the chamber organized a tour of Fort Worth ISD’s automotive programs for local businesses. The tour sparked conversations that led to Autobahn’s scholarship program with Tarrant County College. The program launched with $50,000 in scholarships for 10 automotive technology students and paid internships in dealership service departments. 

Texas Wesleyan University is developing a partnership with Autobahn that would help students continue from TCC toward a bachelor’s degree in applied arts and sciences, President Emily Messer said. 

“It is truly the full life cycle for one partnership,” Messer said.

Preparing workers also means teaching the skills that employers need. About a year earlier, Montgomery brought employers and college educators together to discuss curriculum. One employer asked them to stop teaching a practice the industry abandoned. 

“We quit using that four years ago,” Montgomery recalled the employer saying, adding that new hires would have to spend more time unlearning the outdated protocols. 

TCC’s business advisory committees review courses and recommend changes, Chancellor Elva LeBlanc said. 

Employers want teamwork and empathy — skills that workers need to adapt as artificial intelligence changes their fields, LeBlanc said. Colleges need regular conversations with businesses to understand those changes.

For schools looking for teachers, those connections can start in high school. Wesleyan’s work with Everman ISD allows aspiring teachers to earn 12 hours of education credit and get a head start on college as the institutions prepare more teachers, Messer said. 

Texas Wesleyan is building career preparation into all undergraduate degree programs, starting with exploring job options in students’ first year. Plans include a sophomore career readiness course, job shadowing and junior-year internships. 

Waiting until senior year is too late, Messer said. 

“It will be built into their degree program from day one,” she said.

Montgomery encouraged employers to invite students into their workplaces early. A hospital visit, for example, could introduce a student to accounting work they had never associated with healthcare. 

Those introductions could give graduates reasons to stay in Fort Worth, Montgomery said, adding he has met students who enjoyed college within the region but planned to work elsewhere. 

LeBlanc said about 85% of TCC graduates remain in Tarrant County. But a path to work depends on students being able to finish school. 

Many TCC students balance classes with jobs, extending the time it takes to graduate, LeBlanc said. Scholarships and apprenticeships can help them graduate sooner. The college’s partnership with Trinity Metro provides free rides for eligible students. 

Monica Martin, Fort Worth Police Department deputy chief, had befriended a young woman in TCC’s criminal justice program through its public safety partnership.

When the student needed help, she reached out. Martin connected her with resources. The goal reaches beyond preparing future police officers, Martin said.

“When we are building trust with them, trust me, they do reach out to us in that time of need,” Martin said.

At TCC’s Northwest and South campuses, a partnership with Tarrant County and Child Care Associates brought childcare centers with Head Start and Early Head Start options.

Preparing Fort Worth’s workforce, LeBlanc said, can mean helping a parent get to class while giving a child a place to start.

“So you’re gaining two generations as you break that barrier,” she said. 

Dang Le is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at [email protected]. 

The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

The Report’s higher education coverage is supported in part by major higher education institutions in Tarrant County, including Tarleton State University, Tarrant County College, Texas A&M-Fort Worth Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, the University of Texas at Arlington and UNT Health Fort Worth. 

Disclosure: Autobahn is a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. News decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.