Sustainable Workforce
October 24th, 2013
With issues related to ObamaCare, more and more companies are looking for ways to get workers off their books.
August 8th, 2013
As former chairman of the Texas Workforce Commissioner, Tom Pauken is no stranger to the pages of TexasGOPVote. Pauken has been a news contributor for this website nearly from its inception in 2009. Now Pauken has taken on a...
May 31st, 2013
With the regular session of the 83rd Texas Legislature finished, there are a number of decisions made by the current legislature that are positive steps forward for the future of our state. However, there were a number of...
May 22nd, 2013
The myth that to succeed in life one needs a college degree has perhaps been the biggest myth bestowed upon a people since the idea that mortgage backed securities were a good investment.The argument that a college degree...
March 7th, 2013
Last year, I took two courses from Hillsdale College on the Constitution. This course is similar to what many Hillsdale students take, but what intrigued me was not just the course itself, as excellent as it was, but the...
February 19th, 2013
I submitted written testimony today on Texas House Bill 5. The bill, authored by House Public Education Committee Chairman Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock of Killeen, is being discussed in committee this afternoon.HB 5 replaces the...
February 13th, 2013
We've been telling you about the push in Austin to bring balance to the Texas education system. Many feel there's too much emphasis on sending every single student to college and not enough recognition that the skilled...
January 10th, 2013
What a difference four years makes!When I joined the Texas Workforce Commission in 2008, I was stunned by the lack of appreciation for vocational education -- even here in Texas. State educational policy had become more of a...
December 6th, 2012
For over two years now, I have been writing about unethical businesses using employee misclassification as a strategy to create an unfair competitive advantage over legitimate employers in the marketplace. According to an...
October 18th, 2012
This article originally appeared on ConstructionCitizen.com.Just last week, construction executive Stan Marek noted on Construction Citizen, “The labor situation in Houston is heading into the biggest crisis we...
August 28th, 2013
Last week, the group, Immigration Works USA, hosted a panel discussion moderated by U.S. Congressman Ted Poe called Immigration Reform: What Houston Employers Need. The event was held at Pappadeaux with opening...
June 10th, 2013
I applaud the signing of House Bill 5 into law. This legislation will allow for multiple pathways to a high school diploma, increased opportunities for vocational education at the high school level, and the beginning of a...
May 24th, 2013
The controversial conservative scholar Charles Murray raised the question of whether a liberal arts education should be abandoned altogether except for those with the leisure and resources to engage in learning as a manner...
April 10th, 2013
This is Part II of my personal interview with Tom Pauken who is seeking the position for Governor of Texas. We must not be blind to the achievements and failures of our Texas leadership at such a critical time as now....
March 3rd, 2013
For the past five years, I’ve had the honor of representing you as Commissioner Representing Employers at the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). As many of you know, I’m leaving the Workforce Commission this month, but I will...
February 14th, 2013
One of the trends weve been watching closely is the shift in attitudes when it comes to the "college for all" mentality that has dominated public policy in recent decades. Now, a plan in support of that shift is picking up...
February 7th, 2013
Judging from the first few weeks of the new Texas legislative session, lawmakers are responding to calls for major education reform. Employers, educators, and parents have been calling on our state elected officials to allow...
December 10th, 2012
I am often asked, why do you place yourself in a group, and box yourself in when you should assimilate into America. The answer is twofold. First, because of government categorization, Latinos have to select a box that...
December 6th, 2012
At our annual conference last week, the Texas Workforce Commission presented Champion Cooler Corp. with the 2012 Texas Workforce Solutions Employer of the Year award for its successful efforts to bring new manufacturing jobs...
May 23rd, 2012
It is an honor to be with you here this evening and discuss the important role that your institution plays in addressing the critical shortage of skilled workers in our state. TSTC has a long and distinguished history in...