The Alamo Workforce Development Board sites Texas Workforce Centers.  So far, this Board has not seen fit to place a full-service Center on the East Side.  I encourage the Alamo Workforce Development Board to make it a priority to place one on the East Side at the earliest possible moment.

In an area that has seen its fair share of challenges, the East Side cannot be left behind!  Presently its satellite only contains Choices or employment opportunities for people receiving welfare, TANF or temporary assistance to needy families, Welfare to Work for the hardest-to-serve welfare recipients and Job Placements for anyone seeking employment.  The full-service centers all provide the following services found missing on the East Side:

• Youth Program (employment opportunities and training)
• Unemployment Profiling Program (assessments of job-seekers for most effective placing of prospective employees)
• Workforce Investment Act (job-training for disadvantaged adults)
• Veteran Services (to better find jobs for and enhance opportunities unique to Veterans)
• Employer Services (recruiting, screening and matching employers with employees)

In addition to having adequate services in this full-service center, transportation will cease to be such a barrier to accessing these services.  At present, a person attempting to reach the Gembler Road site by taking the bus from the near East side or South East San Antonio would probably have to go all the way to downtown and then back out to Gembler Road.  This can take as much as two hours.  At present, many of the areas near Gembler Road but which are apparently difficult to reach Gembler Road from, go to other Workforce Centers.  According to my research, about 2,064 people apparently are doing this monthly!  A better placement as well as a bigger location will cure this. 

In closing, I am asking the Alamo Workforce Development Board to take pride in servicing the East Side with a full-service Workforce Center!