Connecting Education to Texas’ Evolving Workforce
Texas’s continued economic growth depends on having enough people with the knowledge and skills to fill rapidly evolving jobs. Yet employers continue to struggle to find qualified workers, while education and training systems do not always have the timely information or strong industry connections needed to prepare students for emerging opportunities.
In this LONESTARP3 LIVE! conversation, Ben Magill, Executive Director of the Texas Talent Accelerator, joins us to explore how labor-market intelligence and collaboration among employers, higher education institutions, and economic development partners can strengthen the pathways connecting education to good jobs.
What can educators learn from a clearer picture of regional talent supply and demand? How can labor-market insights help institutions make decisions about programs, credentials, and learning experiences? And what does stronger alignment among education, industry, and economic development look like in practice?
Join us as we explore how better information and stronger cross-sector partnerships can help Texas prepare students for emerging opportunities while building the talent pipeline needed to support the state’s future economy.
Ben Magill
Chief Economic Development Officer, University of North Texas
Ben Magill is the inaugural Chief Economic Development Officer at the University of North Texas and Executive Director of the Texas Talent Accelerator, a regional workforce intelligence hub connecting employers, higher education institutions, and economic development partners.
Previously, Ben founded the Labor Market Intelligence Center at Dallas College and led an $8.8 million federal initiative to create a regional workforce training collaborative focused on the emerging biotechnology and life sciences sector. Throughout his career, he has helped organizations use labor-market insights and cross-sector partnerships to strengthen talent pipelines and respond to evolving workforce needs.