As a result of WSSET’s virtual mixer earlier this year, Orange Public Library (OPL) and Beaumont Public Library (BPL) have had several workforce events with Austin and his team, and based on Austin’s after-event insight, one of the best strategies that was used to introduce and to incorporate workforce services at a library was to weave it into an already existing program. Let’s say your library regularly provides a workshop for teens that is known to have a great turnout (e.g., summer reading programs). Instead of creating a separate, new event for Workforce Solutions that your teen patrons may not yet have been made aware, integrate your WSSET team into the existing workshop so that:

• more young people are reached at one time.
• those teens can be encouraged to pass on to their network the information learned from the WSSET team.
• planning, coordinating, scheduling, and marketing can remain as effortless as possible. In other words, patrons will get more without the library needing to do more (i.e., smarter not harder).

Another recommendation Austin imparted was to consider how far off, if at all, the existing workshop is from the topics and the options that your WSSET partners have to share. For instance, a teen social hour or a tween code club would be more fitting in comparison with a portrait-making workshop. Just as importantly, Austin also mentioned the value in involving more community partners at library events. In addition to WSSET, he advised, “work with a variety of community partners around the area to provide engaging activities,” including local food truck businesses, to call the attention of even more kids, teens, and their families to your library’s workforce-related events. Not only will a larger amount of community members want to go, but it is also a perfect opportunity to ask patrons to invite their friends to similar, future workforce library events. Then again, feel free to reach out to Austin, who will help connect you to other partners based on your desired program offerings.

The photos Austin shared below of the events at OPL and BPL show how teens got to use virtual reality headsets from the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). With those DIR headsets, teens can immerse themselves in different work environments to explore various career pathways. To bring this learning experience and other types of opportunities to your library, here are a few things you can do to get it underway:

1. If you’re in the southeast region, reach out to your Workforce Solutions Center below:

Beaumont 510 Park Street, Suite 200 Beaumont, TX 77701 409.839.8045 Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Email Calendar

Port Arthur 4680 FM 365 Port Arthur, TX 77642 409.962.1236 Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Email Calendar

Orange 2415 N 16th Street Orange, TX 77630 409.882.0302 Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Email Calendar

Hardin County 975 Highway 327 E STE 147 Silsbee, TX 77656 409.951.4127 Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Email Calendar

2. Watch Austin Brinkley’s webinar for libraries in the southeast region. It not only provides his contact information but also a wealth of information libraries can share with their patrons and ideas on how libraries can collaborate with WSSET.
   • Video
   • Online course with webinar materials
3. Share WSSET’s Youth Newsletter and Training Workshops Course Catalog.

If you are not in the southeast region, find and contact your regional workforce development board/local Workforce Solutions Center.

Considering everything, let your local Workforce Solutions Center piggyback on the programs your library already offers. Ultimately, it cannot be overemphasized that regular communication, networking, and collaboration among community leaders will lead to the greatest number of community members being reached with the information they need to enhance their lives and those of their families. Take a look at the gallery below, and contact your Workforce Solutions Center to discuss and co-plan your next event in partnership.