In two separate announcements, the city of San Antonio is launching SA: Ready to Work, a workforce development program, and it is releasing the results of a two-year-old partnership involving three renowned local organizations.

According to a news release, 77% of San Antonian voters who cast ballots in the November 2020 election approved creating SA: Ready to Work, an initiative designed to promote post-pandemic economic recovery.

The release said the new job education and placement program is funded by an $0.00125 sales tax collected through December 2025, and that the city projects receiving about $200 million total toward the program.

Local officials said the city will pay partner organizations to conduct services such as community outreach and marketing, intake, assessment, case management, employer engagement and program evaluation.

The program will offer unemployed, underemployed, and underrepresented residents tuition for industry-recognized certifications, and associate and bachelor’s degrees “aligned with targeted occupations in high-demand, well-paid careers,” among other services, the release said.

“As we prepare to launch this initiative, we are looking forward to the end goal of matching our talent pipeline to the needs of our local businesses,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. “Now is the time to work together to make this program a success. We are asking employers of all types and sizes to take the Ready to Work employer pledge.”

According to the city, the employer pledge allows employers to engage in SA: Ready to Work by participating in industry roundtables, talent pipeline management sessions, recruiter informational sessions and job fairs as well as by offering apprenticeships, internships and other experiential learning opportunities.

City Manager Erik Walsh said city leaders and staff are grateful for the feedback they have received, especially from various local businesses, during the past year.

“Engagement with employers has been my focus since the start, and I will continue to lead that charge to make Ready to Work a success,” Walsh said.

The release said local employers that have taken the pledge include the city of San Antonio, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, Frost Bank, Methodist Hospital, WellMed Medical Management, Accenture, Baptist Hospital System, Centro San Antonio, CPS Energy, H-E-B, Port San Antonio, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, San Antonio Water System, Southwest Research Institute, Spurs Sports and Entertainment, USAA, Valero, VIA Metropolitan Transit and local education institutions.

District 4 Council Member Adriana Rocha Garcia said SA: Ready to Work will boost the lives of thousands of San Antonians who are ready to embark on a new career.

“Ready to Work will not only improve the quality of life for San Antonio residents, it will also help our local economy,” Rocha Garcia said.

Visit https://www.sanantonio.gov/workforce for more program information.

Elsewhere, the city announced initial findings from work done by the R&D League, which began in January 2020 as a collaborative effort among the city, Southwest Research Institute, USAA and The University of Texas at San Antonio.

According to a city news release, the R&D League strives to use scientific methods and data to investigate new ideas, facilitate evidence-based policymaking, and further of innovation across the local public and private sectors.

The release outlined some of the R&D League’s accomplishments, including:

• Establishment of eight fellowships for students to staff research and development projects and build applied research skills


• Established a master research agreement with UTSA to start and accelerate research with dedicated resources to increase connectivity between city employees and UTSA researchers for projects benefiting San Antonians


• Secured more than $500,000 for the completion of six trials, such as sensors for garbage trucks and a city government portal for the exchange of idea

According to the release, the R&D League is looking to launch new trials in 2022, including enhancing traffic safety, developing sensors for Jeeps in the city’s solid waste department fleet, and requiring police cadets in community service in a geographic area in order to help improve public trust between residents and law enforcement.

The release said R&D League partners signed a three-year memorandum of understanding to commit to partnership longer term after the first two exploratory years. The league is also committing $1 million to launch six to 10 trials and leverage grant funds.

Additionally, the league is establishing a team of six cross-sector employees dedicated to administering the program together with a plan to carry out at least four events per year “to source challenges, develop teams and organize efforts,” the release said.

Local officials said UTSA’s College for Health Community and Policy and the R&D League will host a Feb. 22 panel to share insights into the cross-sector movement that aims to address societal challenges.

The panel will be begin at noon at the UTSA Downtown Campus, Buena Vista Theater, 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. Admission is free to the public. Community members may register for free at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/evidence-based-policymaking-whats-all-the-buzz-about-registration-229078940277.